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THE FRATERS 


\ 


THE FRATERS 


By 

JOHN R. STEWART 


Then let vs prop that come it mag— 
That man to man, the World o’er. 
Shall brothers be.— Robert Burns. 



Nashville, Tenn. 

Dallas, Tex.; Richmond, Va. 
Publishing House of the M. E. Church, South 
Smith & Lamar, Agents 
1916 


\ 



Copyright, 1916 
BY 

John R. Stewart 



©Cl. A 43 3 480 

I 

* 


Hester Anne Rogers Stewart 


my wife 

who has illustrated in her 
life, in commendable 
measure, the only power 
which overcomes evil, 
this book is affectionately 
dedicated. 

The Author. 






FOREWORD. 

It is intended that this little volume shall 
fill a niche hitherto unoccupied. It relates to 
a definite development of our day. It is hoped 
that the purpose of the author may become im- 
pressively manifest to the reader. Irreconcil- 
able forces struggle for supremacy, continu- 
ing the conflict between “the root of all evil” 
and the “greatest thing in the world.” Broth- 
erhoods are considered and compared. Mean- 
time the just claims of “our forgotten friends” 
forge toward the front for fuller recognition. 

J. R. S. 

( 7 ) 




CONTENTS. 

Pa®e. 

Introduction n 

I. The Family 13 

II. The Inevitable Obtrusion 22 

III. Suspense 33 

IV. The Christian Brotherhood 39 

V. “United We Stand” 46 

VI. A Special Occasion 56 

VII. The Subtle Sin of Neglect 70 

VIII. Justice versus Brotherly Love 81 

IX. “A Corn of Wheat” 90 

X. A Dinner Party 116 

(9) 


/ 



INTRODUCTION. 


We have in this book a simple story of com- 
pelling interest. It will hold the attention of 
thoughtful persons, not simply because it has a 
well-constructed plot and employs characters 
that are impressively human, but because the 
stream of action which runs through the book 
is red with lifeblood and the quick heartbeat 
is felt in every chapter. 

Yet this is not all. The story is really a 
clarion call to an exercise of one of the holiest 
duties to which Christianity has been called — 
the proper support of the retired preacher who 
has been, and is still to a great extent, the 
Church’s “forgotten man.” 

No one is better fitted than the author for 
writing such a story. For years he has faith- 
fully superintended in a connect ional way the 
sacred interests of the “forgotten man” of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He 
knows the needs of that pathetic figure. He 

(ii) 


12 


The F raters. 


knows also the heart of his Church. He has 
written a unique story, which makes its appear- 
ance at an opportune time. It should have been 
written long ago. It should be read by many, 
not only in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
South, but in every Protestant denomination 
which is awaking to the pressing needs of the 
retired and unpensioned preacher. 

Thomas N. Ivey. 

Nashville, Tenn., March 24, 1916. 


THE FRATERS 


I. 

The Family. 

r„ the autumn of 1866 Joshua Frater and 
Matilda Saxe were married at her father's 
home, eight miles east of Lexington, the Rev. 
Thomas Robertson, the young circuit rider, 
performing the ceremony. They began house- 
keeping at once on his farm, in the old Ander- 
son home, three miles from Lexington, on the 
river road. The old residence was a two-story 
frame, innocent of paint, situated one hundred 
yards east of the highway, with its broad side 
frankly facing the passing public. In the front 
yard stood two large cedar trees like faithful 
sentinels keeping watch against all unseemly 
intruders; but they were probably ineffective 
against spooks, for it was commonly remarked 
by the “hands” on the place that the house was 

(13) 


14 


The F raters. 


“ha’nted.” The large new barn had been erect- 
ed another hundred yards in the rear of the 
residence. 

Young Frater and his frugal wife soon lifted 
the remainder of the debt on the rich three 
hundred acres. Com, cotton, and live stock 
brought the money in a hurry. In five years 
he had a strong and growing bank account. 
Let it be noted in passing that Lexington was 
the county seat of the good county of Franklin, 
a thriving town of some four thousand people. 
The public buildings were the courthouse, four 
churches, and the Lexington Female College, a 
reputable institution which was the pride of the 
little city. 

After residing eight years on the Anderson 
place, Joshua remarked to his wife as they 
stood under the cedars one October afternoon : 
“Matilda, we have enough money in bank 
to buy that Nixon farm, which runs up to the 
edge of town. It’s a good place of a hundred 
acres, has a nice eight-room house on it, just 
half a mile from the courthouse, and I hear that 


The Family. 


15 


it is for sale at a low figure for casn. Our 
money in bank is not drawing much inter- 
est, and I think this would be a good invest- 
ment. What do you think about it ?” 

“Why, Joshua, I think it is the thing to do ; 
for we are unhandy to school here, and Martha 
has to go to school, you know. The church 
would be closer and everything handier. I 
should like to live there too, I think.” 

In less than a week Joshua showed his wife 
the deed to the Nixon farm. Said he: “We 
get immediate possession.” No time was lost 
in moving to the new home. Mrs. Frater was 
happy to make the change; for she had never 
gotten over her first impression of the old 
Anderson place, that “it was lonesome.” 
After they had settled in the new home, she 
said: “I like this house. There is plenty of 
room, and it’s convenient too. I think it’s a 
pretty place.” 

The cottage had eight rooms, with a rock 
foundation, cross halls, and porches both front 
and back. The house was painted white with 


1 6 


The F raters. 


green trimmings; and, standing back of the 
four sugar maples in the blue-grass yard, which 
had a white paling fence in front, there was an 
aspect of comfort and hospitality about the 
place that was decidedly pleasing. 

Joshua Frater retained the Anderson planta- 
tion, over which he continued personal supervi- 
sion after he had moved to the Nixon farm. 
His opportunities were now enlarged, while his 
labors and financial rating were increased. 

During the following decade the breezes of 
prosperity continued to blow favorably upon 
the Fraters. Blessed far above the average 
household with health and happiness and never 
having suffered a severe loss or a bereavement, 
it may be safely assumed that this happy couple 
had reached the meridian of their earthly day 
in unclouded enjoyment. Their children, of 
whom there were five, were normal. The eldest 
was Martha, the youngest Myrtle; while the 
orderly “coihe-betweens” were Newton, Silas, 
and Joseph. 

As we have already seen, Joshua Frater was 


The Family. 


J Z 

a thoroughgoing man of affairs and industri- 
ous to the limit. Guiding and restraining his 
children with a well-concealed, velvet-gloved 
hand of despotism, he secured from them un- 
hesitating obedience. Living in a commercial 
age, as he did, it could not be truthfully said of 
him that he was out of harmony with his 
time. In business he made every edge cut and 
every stroke count. His model helpmeet co- 
operated with him to his entire satisfaction. 
She was not one of those women of whom 
it has been said : “She pitches out at the back 
door as fast as her husband can shovel in at the 
front door.” 

The Frater sons were “chips off of the old 
block.” Much to the father’s gratification, they 
took to business like “ducks to water.” Mr. 
Frater believed in educating boys to prepare 
them for business, so that they might “take care 
of themselves” ; but he admitted that girls, who 
do not have an equal chance to get out and 
“hustle,” should be given good educational op- 
portunities. True to his theories, he gave Mar- 
2 


i8 


The F raters. 


tha exceptional advantages; and she made the 
most of them. Newton, the next of age, being 
five years younger, had by so much the better 
showing. It must not be supposed that because 
she possessed a rare type of beauty and had a 
charming personality she was dull of intel- 
lect. Far from it. As sometimes occurs, na- 
ture had apparently assembled all the choice 
endowments intended for the entire family 
group and lavished them upon her. She was 
not only intellectual, but also endowed with rare 
common sense. While no human may be held 
faultless, it must be admitted that the most crit- 
ical were unable to discover even a modicum of 
selfishness in the mixture of her noble qualities. 
Graduating with honors from Lexington Col- 
lege in 1885, she was happy that the address to 
her class was delivered by Dr. Thomas Robert- 
son, who had been the pastor when she united 
with the Church. The degree of D.D. was 
conferred upon him in 1877 by this institution, 
since when he had been one of its trustees. 

Scarcely had Martha become comfortably 


The Family. 


19 


adjusted in the familiar routines of her father’s 
orderly home after her brilliant school career 
and graduation when the rude destroyer of all 
pleasant human relations interrupted. The ill- 
ness of her tenderly beloved mother was brief, 
the call inexorable, and the answer to the 
summons was made with Christian resigna- 
tion. Dr. Robertson was summoned to assist 
the pastor in the funeral service and paid a 
beautiful tribute to the womanly worth of Mrs. 
Frater. 

The intolerable hours of loneliness came and 
went with painful tardiness. As Martha sat 
alone in her room one afternoon she said to 
herself : “O these trying days, now lengthened 
into weeks, since my precious mother was tak- 
en! How my heart aches for my poor father! 
He is so disconsolate, restless by day and sleep- 
less by night. What the result is to be, I dread 
to think about ! And the dear boys and Myr- 
tle — how I shall strive more than ever to be a 
‘little mother’ to them! I must not lose my 
nerve. I must be brave for their sakes. But 


20 


The F raters. 


0 how hard it is to be cheerful and sunshiny 
when one feels like screaming for relief from 
the pressure of grief and responsibility! My 
eighteenth birthday has passed. It is the time 
that I shopld naturally be most happy and free 
from care, but recent events have set forward 
the calendar for me at least ten years. My sol- 
emn responsibilities have quickened the pace of 
maturity. But my course is clear. I must live 
for father and the children. More and more it 
is dawning upon me that one should not live 
for self.” So ended her soliloquy as her father 
entered. 

After being seated he said : “Daughter, you 
are such a comfort and support to me since 
your mother left us ! I do not see how I could 
have gotten through these fearful weeks with- 
out your unselfish assistance. The boys look 
to you now for sympathy and direction very 
much as they did to their mother. I have been 
so terribly torn up in my mind that I am not fit 
for business, and I don't know what I should 
have done without your clear head and good 


The Family . 


21 


judgment in the management of our affairs. 
But I am beginning now to get in harness 
again, and maybe we can get along some better 
from this time on. The boys help me out a 
good deal already. I think they will be atten- 
tive to business.” 


( 


II. 


The Inevitable Obtrusion. 

QINCE the death of Mrs. Frater the busy, 
eventful years have gone by like an orderly 
procession. Newton is a young man, and Silas 
and Joseph follow hard after, while the ‘‘little 
Miss” imagines she is almost a young lady. 

Martha Frater easily held first place in pop- 
ular esteem among the many attractive young 
ladies of the community. With young and old 
she was a prime favorite. Educated, cultured, 
and refined, she possessed a type of beauty 
which was extremely rare, if not unique. Her 
figure of perfect symmetry, slightly above me- 
dium height, was graceful in every movement. 
The copious crown of waving auburn hair, 
always deftly arranged, contrastingly harmo- 
nized with her broad forehead of marble and 
large, intelligent brown eyes, which had in 
them the power to look calmly in the face of 
,( 22 ) 


The Inevitable Obtrusion . 23 

fate. The unusual facial figure was completed 
by a slightly aquiline nose, a model mouth with 
beautiful teeth, and a strong chin from which 
descended a full round throat as fair as a lily. 
Her voice, as soft as the notes of a dove in 
springtime, was, in its final inflections, as firm 
as her sense of eternal right. But withal she 
seemed wholly unconscious of her own loveli- 
ness. Her mental aptitude and spiritual capac- 
ities came fully up to the high expectation cre- 
ated by her impressive presence. 

It was not remarkable that her company 
should be sought by the best type of young men 
of her acquaintance, nor that Hubert Howard 
was often seen at the Frater home, not merely 
as a casual caller, but intent on a serious pur- 
pose poorly concealed. 

Hubert Howard had a strong physique bor- 
dering on the rugged. Standing full six feet, 
with broad shoulders and full chest, having a 
striking face lighted up with steady but kindly 
blue eyes, moving with a firm step indicating 
correctly decision of character, he was 


24 


The F raters. 


“A combination and a form, indeed. 

Where every god did seem to set his seal, 

To give the world assurance of a man.” 

He had a liberal education, was intelligent and 
well informed through much reading, and was 
an interesting conversationalist. Well estab- 
lished in business and prosperous, he was re- 
garded as decidedly the best matrimonial pros- 
pect of all the young men in that immediate sec- 
tion. In fact, one might travel a whole day 
without finding his equal. 

What a handsome pair Hubert Howard and 
Martha Frater were as occasionally seen in 
their leisurely afternoon strolls, and apparently 
how well suited to each other ! Some went so 
far as to say: “They were foreordained for 
each other from the foundation of the world.” 

Many weeks had passed since Hubert had 
frankly confessed to Martha that she was ab- 
solutely indispensable to his happiness. Mar- 
tha had always held him in the highest regard, 
and her increasing admiration had gradually 
ripened into sincere affection, which state of 


The Inevitable Obtrusion. 25 

her emotions she had not wittingly disclosed to 
any living soul. She understood perfectly his 
attitude and purpose and what to expect. She 
felt that her situation was much involved and 
full of complexity. It was the old struggle 
over again between the lure of the heart and 
the call of duty. A less thoughtful and con- 
scientious young woman would have settled the 
conflict without the slightest hesitation by sim- 
ply following her own inclination, but that was 
impossible to her. She would be the gladdest 
soul in the wide universe if she were perfectly 
free to follow her own feelings and put an end 
to Hubert’s suspense; but the motherless home 
filled her vision and at times shut out every- 
thing else. “Father, the boys, and Myrtle — 
how could I be selfish with them, even to win 
the greatest prize on earth? O my heart, I 
command thee! O my heart, I restrain thee 
for their sakes! But Hubert is coming this 
evening and will insist that the matter be set- 
tled. How gladly would I escape the ordeal! 
And yet I find myself half wishing that the time 


26 


The F raters. 


would speed on more rapidly. Even more than 
what I suffer on my own account shall I be 
wounded to disappoint him. I hear father's 
familiar footfalls. Come in, father." 

“Excuse me, daughter, if I seem to hang 
around you a good deal recently since my 
health has been so bad." 

“No apology, father. It's a pleasure to have 
you come and talk whenever you wish." 

“I just wanted to go over some little matters 
with you. I do. not know how this disease I 
have is going to terminate. The doctor gave 
me very little encouragement to-day. I realize 
that the boys are no longer mere boys, but 
young men. It is a great satisfaction to me 
that they are attentive to business and seem to 
know the value of a dollar. With your good 
judgment and advice, I have no fear that they 
will succeed. They are all good money-mak- 
ers. And there’s another little matter — maybe 
not so little, either — that I wish to mention. 
You have been such a helpful, unselfish daugh- 
ter. You have enabled me to keep things to- 


The Inevitable Obtrusion. 27 

gether, the children look to you so much as a 
guide, and everything has gone on so well ; but 
somehow of late — O it may be just a notion of 
mine, but I think I may not be with you long.” 
“O father, please don’t talk that way !” 
“Well, I was just thinking that if anything 
should happen to me, Myrtle is young and in- 
experienced, you know. But I suppose you 
have different plans. If you could all hold to- 
gether, you would be such a bond of strength 
to the others; but I guess that can’t be, and 
perhaps I should not mention it. I suppose, of 
course, that you may be interested in Hubert, 
and I think that he is interested in you; and 
that’s all right, but” — 

“Father, I have fought all over that battle 
field. Perhaps I should not admit it. And the 
struggle has been something terrific. It re- 
mains to be seen which shall triumph, self or 
other selves, the altruistic or the egoistic spirit. 
But, father, how could I deny you and the chil- 
dren anything, even to the spending of my life 
for you ?” 


28 


The F raters. 


“Well, I don’t ask it of you, daughter. I 
make no request. I know that you will do 
what you think is best. Hubert Howard is a 
fine young man and is doing well in the world.” 

Joshua Frater could not have made a com- 
ment which, from his viewpoint, would have 
been more highly complimentary to the young 
man. Like many other men of his time, Josh- 
ua habitually held the dollar so close to his eye 
that it obscured his vision of some of the 
things that matter most. Nevertheless, it must 
be said that he was a Church member and at- 
tended religious services, as did his children, 
with some regularity. In the interest of per- 
fect candor, however, it ought to be stated that 
his religion had something* of the sound of the 
clanging cymbal. He regarded the Church as 
being unquestionably the greatest civilizing 
agency in existence, and therefore he could af- 
ford to pay something toward the support of 
foreign missions. The Church was also a good 
insurance society to take a risk in against the 
uncertain future. This really was a necessary 


The Inevitable Obtrusion. 29 

precaution for any careful man to observe. It 
was good business to be religious. He paid his 
dues punctually. Joshua Frater, in truth, had 
many commendable qualities. 

The Frater sons gave evidence of being not 
less energetic and successful than their father, 
but were more grasping. As the three boys 
sat together one evening Newt remarked : “Fa- 
ther has done well for his day and opportuni- 
ties, but times have changed. There are new 
methods now. Enlargement is the word, ex- 
pansion. The old ways are too slow.” 

“Yes,” said Joe, “father made most of his 
money farming. That's a slow way, but it's 
sure.” 

“Well,” remarked Si, “he really made more 
money trading than he ever did on the farm.” 

“Since we started the store and bank we have 
done better,” added Newt, “and we must 
branch out on different lines of business just 
as fast as it is safe to do so and all hold to- 
gether. There is strength in union.” 

“Yes, father has always told us that,” an- 


30 


The F raters. 


swered Si, “and all of us together can look 
after a good deal of business; but I fear that 
father won't be able to do much more, as far 
as he is concerned." 

“No, he is getting weaker every day," re- 
plied Joe. “I am afraid his work is about 
done." 

“But I’ll tell you, boys," said Newt, “Mar- 
tha's got the best head of any of us, even for 
business. Father has talked over his affairs 
with her so much that she’s got it all." 

“O, but let me tell you," rejoined Si, “that 
fellow Howard is going to get the benefit of all 
sister knows. Do you hear me?" 

“It looks that way to me too, Si," said Joe. 
“I wish he would stay away from here and quit 
interfering with our arrangements." 

“Listen, boys," remarked Newt. “If she 
does go, we've lost the strongest member of 
the firm. There's the supper bell." 

Mr. Frater went from his room, where he 
had been sitting alone in deep meditation, and 
took his accustomed seat at the table. He was 


The Inevitable Obtrusion . 31 

not feeling well and had but little to say at 
supper. The brothers lingered a few minutes 
longer in earnest conversation. As they en- 
tered the dining room Myrtle said: “If you 
boys are as hard to get away from the table as 
you are to get to it, there won’t be much left 
when you get through.” 

“That’s all right, boys,” replied Martha. 
“If appetite runs riot until the table looks like 
a cyclone had struck it, that makes no differ- 
ence, for I like to see people eat heartily.” 

“They say the way to compliment the cook is 
to eat a lot,” observed Si. 

“Just so,” answered Joe. “I’ve always en- 
joyed paying my compliments that way.” 

Myrtle said: “Sister doesn’t seem to have 
much appetite to-night. I guess she must be 
looking for company.” 

“Yes, it looks mighty cozy and nice by that 
good fire in the sitting room,” remarked Si. 
“Expectation of some sort is standing on tip- 
toe, I’m certain. What’s the matter with that 
old dog howling so ? Bad sign, they say.” 


32 


The F raters. 


“Don’t be superstitious, Si. You youngsters 
are very suggestive in your remarks this eve- 
ning,” replied Martha. “I think you had better 
simmer down a bit.” Then she inquired very 
tenderly: “Father, I fear you are not feeling 
well. You don’t seem to be eating much.” 

Mr. Frater replied: “No; I have felt very 
unwell all the evening, an unusual sort of feel- 
ing that I can’t well describe. I am not hun- 
gry” 

With much cheery chat and verbal cross- 
firing between the boys, the tempting meal was 
“in due and ancient form” dispatched. 


III. 

Suspense. 

' ■ A HE mournful night that followed this 
usual evening meal was long remembered 
— this night to which at least two persons had 
looked forward with palpitating interest; this 
night made memorable by the great electric 
storm and howling winds; the night hereafter 
to be recalled by the Fraters with a nervous 
shock, for in its early hours their father had 
suddenly expired without immediate warning — 
and the cheerful fire lighted for the enjoyment 
of ardent lovers gave forth its sympathetic 
warmth and cheer to a large company of neigh- 
bors who had faced the fierce winds to bring 
comfort to the bereaved family. Over this 
night, with its sobs and sighs, its desolated 
hearts and disappointed hopes, let the mantle 
of oblivion be thrown, forever to remain. On 
the following afternoon the pastor conducted 
an impressive funeral service at the Frater resi- 
3 ( 33 )' 


34 


The F raters. 


dence. In the presence of a large company of 
neighbors Joshua Frater’s mortal remains were 
laid to rest beside the sleeping dust of his faith- 
ful wife. 

Let us withdraw a twelvemonth from that 
night which marked the decease of Joshua 
Frater; that night with its deep agitations re- 
fusing to be forgotten, which determined the 
trend of two human lives fraught with great 
possibilities. High hopes were brought low, 
and strange history is to be written. 

Martha Frater’s meditations ran thus: “O 
the awful silences of sleepless hours when voic- 
es which have been hushed are heard and when 
familiar forms which have disappeared are 
seen, and yet they return not! These long 
nights whose harmonies are pitched on the 
minor key of the sighing winds — O how trying, 
how terribly depressing!” 

Added to the great loss which Martha felt 
so keenly was the enforced indefinite suspen- 
sion of any serious consideration of the grave 
and interesting question which had been so 


Suspense. 


35 


vigorously pressed for her solution. She had 
not yet been able to set herself earnestly to the 
task of solving this problem; for she had not 
been able to get away from the effect of the 
oft-repeated suggestion of her lamented fa- 
ther that she could be a great, binding, and help- 
ful force to her brothers and sister. In fact, 
she had made no effort to bring herself from 
under the influence of this suggestion. It was 
such a strong conviction and desire of her fa- 
ther that they should remain together that it 
was the line of vivid memory along which she 
could most easily and closely connect with the 
past and with him. 

Altruism was the key to the character of 
Martha Frater, and therefore it was not ordi- 
narily impossible for her to forego even her 
most cherished plans if opportunity for gener- 
ous and needed service appeared. She had not 
been able, however, in the swirl of conflicting 
winds of influence, to hold herself with perfect 
steadiness of purpose. Swayed alternately by 
her sincere affection for Hubert drawing her 


3<5 


The F raters. 


toward one course and being drawn toward the 
other course by her deep love for her brothers 
and sister, for whom she felt parental respon- 
sibility, especially with reference to their spir- 
itual guidance and safety, she had not been 
able to give Hubert the encouragement which 
would constitute a basis for more than a faint 
hope of success in his suit. His happiness had 
been arrested for weary, waiting months, 
maybe for life, if not for eternity. O what 
floods of sunshine she could throw upon his 
individual world if she would only say the one 
word! Thus far she had steadfastly refrained 
from saying that word. 

This negative fact was a severe blow to Hu- 
bert Howard. Martha Frater was his mind’s 
ideal and his heart’s idol. His hopes were 
being crushed and his manly pride humbled. 
That she loved him truly, he had no good rea- 
son to doubt. Endeavoring to sit in impartial 
judgment upon himself as a desirable matri- 
monial “chance,” he believed that there was no 
natural reason for his being rejected. He 


Suspense. 


37 


simply could not understand it. He was in- 
extricably puzzled. To be sure, she had main- 
tained a consistent and circumspect reserve in 
the discussion of her plans. “What will she 
do ? Is she going to be foolish enough to sac- 
rifice her life merely to help those brothers? 
They will never appreciate it. They can’t ap- 
preciate her — her worth — they are not capable 
of doing so. About all that they live for is 
money. Of course she can help them get rich ; 
she is doing that. She has better business 
judgment than any of them or all of them put 
together. They are simply not in her class at 
all. No wonder they want her to remain with 
them merely for their own selfish gains ! And 
just to think that she will waste her great life 
that they may simply accumulate a fortune! 
I can’t understand how a woman of her intel- 
lectual breadth could arrive at such a decision. 
But somehow or other they seem to be deter- 
mined to stay together. I guess it’s all off. 
When once she makes up her mind — well, it’s 
no use.” With an unusual jerk of impatience 


38 The F raters. 

in his voice he closed the remarks which he was 
addressing to himself by saying: “They are the 
most clannish set I ever saw. They seem to 
be held together by bands of steel. It was the 
old man’s doctrine. He was always talking 
it, and his children were apt pupils, and she 
fully as apt as the rest. I fear I shall never be 
able to break into this close corporation. I can- 
not endure this awful suspense much longer.” 


IV. 

The Christian Brotherhood. 

TN the year 1877 the Rev. Thomas Robert- 
son, pastor of the Methodist Church in 
Lexington, had made substantially the follow- 
ing remarks in his pulpit on the preceding Sun- 
day : 

What is that mysterious force which com- 
mands the peace among the warring elements 
of human nature; which subdues moral beasts 
of pray; that power which induces a man to be 
at peace with himself and all mankind; that 
power which is embodied in the sweetest, sub- 
limest, most potent message man ever heard; 
that power which is signalized by mystery and 
attested by experience; that magnetic force 
which draws enemies and aliens into the inti- 
mate bonds of brotherhood? It is the “power 
of God unto salvation” — the sweet, old, ever- 
new story of the Son of Man, who brought this 
evangel to our helpless world and charged it 
with his own omnific Spirit. He gently places 
his pierced hand on the fierce, wild hearts of 

(39) 


40 


The F raters. 


men, saying, “Peace,” and there is calm. He 
poured out his precious life a willing sacrifice 
to recover men from heathenism to holiness, 
from barbarism to brotherhood. His purpose 
to make men spiritual brothers was a consum- 
ing passion. He loved and labored, sympa- 
thized and suffered to secure it. He threw him- 
self with perfect abandon into the infinite task 
of building a world-brotherhood. Of all the 
excellent orders and fraternities which amelio- 
rate the unhappy conditions of human society, 
the most ennobling and best is the brotherhood 
of Christianity. 

Mr. Nathan Perkins, a prominent young man 
somewhat removed from the orthodox stand- 
ards in his manner of thinking, but an attentive 
and intelligent listener, had heard the sermon 
and on the first meeting with the pastor said : 
“Dr. Robertson, I heard your discourse on 
Sunday with pleasure and interest, but really 
regret that I cannot compel myself to go as far 
in my admiration of the Christian brotherhood 
as you seem able to go. Your tribute to the 
power of the gospel was strong and beautiful; 


The Christian Brotherhood. 41 

but as I think of some of the benevolent and 
fraternal orders along with Christianity, the 
former do not seem to suffer by the compari- 
son.” 

“I am very glad, Mr. Perkins, to have had 
you as an auditor and to hear any friendly 
criticism that you may wish to offer ; but I fear 
that you fail to make a note of the fact that 
nearly, if not quite all, the good there is in the 
orders to which you refer — and there is much 
good in them — can be attributed to the influence 
and power of Christianity. The gospel of 
Christ has created the atmosphere, prepared the 
soil, and sent the showers which make possible 
the growing crops of beneficence existing under 
various names.” 

“But, Doctor, it seems to me that in organ- 
ized charity and brotherly deeds some of these 
orders surpass the Churches.” 

“It may appear so in some instances, Mr. 
Perkins; but the Churches have never been 
thoroughly organized for the best expression 
of the spirit they possess. Some may regard 


42 


The F raters. 


this as a deficiency. They think that if the 
Christian Church had been completely organ- 
ized for the fullest expression of its benevolent 
life, there would have been little or no occasion 
for the formation of secular orders. But the 
theory of the Churches has been that they must 
give that emphasis to the one great duty of 
preaching the gospel which will concentrate 
attention upon the supreme importance of spir- 
itual regeneration and eternal life. Possibly it 
may have been feared that too much organiza- 
tion for social and benevolent ends might de- 
feat this all-important purpose.” 

“Well, I see your point, Dr. Robertson, and 
recognize that the distinction you make must 
be apt, from your viewpoint.” 

“I think, Mr. Perkins, it is unquestionably 
true that the finest expression of the altruistic 
spirit is seen in the lives of true Christians. 
What non-Christian, for instance, has sufficient 
scope of interest and sympathy to make person- 
al sacrifices in order that heathen men of other 
nations may receive benefit ?” 


The Christian Brotherhood. 43 

“Well, as to that matter, Doctor, I myself 
do not confess to any enthusiastic interest. I 
would prefer to spend my mite on nearer neigh- 
bors. The wings of the eagle on my dollar are 
not strong enough to carry it to very distant 
lands. But my lack of zeal for the salvation 
of the heathen does not disprove your conten- 
tion, since I make no claim to being a Christian 
myself. I perhaps have not fallen under the 
influence of the mysterious power of which 
you speak, which binds mankind together in a 
strong and beautiful brotherhood. I admire 
your conception. It is attractive. But, Doc- 
tor, the proofs of the existence of such an ac- 
tual fraternity do not appear to me to be con- 
vincingly abundant. Do not Christians some- 
times exhibit an unbrotherly spirit and per- 
form unbrotherly acts ?” 

“Yes, Mr. Perkins, sometimes they do, as 
you suggest. Not all Christians, however, can 
be thus criticized justly. There are many who 
earnestly endeavor to live up to the tenets of 
this great brotherhood and whose success is 


44 


The F raters. 


sufficiently convincing to prove the reality of 
my contention. Admitting the mistakes and 
imperfections of many of those who bear the 
Christian name, it is still true that Christians 
manifest more of the spirit of love, forgiveness, 
mercy, and good will than can be found in any 
other organization on earth, unless that organ- 
ization be wholly composed of Christians. The 
love which existed among the primitive follow- 
ers of Christ was matter of remark and wonder 
to outsiders. The same love is manifest in 
modern times. Africans said of David Liv- 
ingstone: ‘This was the man who loved ev- 
erybody.’ Thousands of self-sacrificing 
Christians and missionaries are proofs in evi- 
dence.” 

Mr. Perkins closed his part of the dialogue 
by saying: “Doctor, I am almost persuaded. 
I admit the cogency of your argument, from 
which it would seem that kinship on high spir- 
itual lines must be as real and strong as the 
natural ties which bind mankind together.” 

' “Indeed, I believe they are stronger,” re- 


The Christian Brotherhood . 45 

plied the preacher. Sin is a great disintegrat- 
ing element, separating mankind and producing 
friction and trouble. The only power strong 
enough to reunite and bind them together is the 
power of God, called brotherly love.” 


v. 

“United We Stand.” 

npHE late Joshua Frater’s business was in 
perfect condition at the time of his de- 
cease. He died intestate. The sons had the 
details of the affairs of the “Frater firm,” as 
they were sometimes called, well in hand and 
since having full charge had enlarged the busi- 
ness in some important directions. No written 
agreement had been signed or even drawn by 
the three brothers and two sisters. They re- 
garded themselves as a business unit. None 
of them had had any strong inducements to 
withdraw from the firm except Martha, and 
she was still pursuing her daily duties as se- 
renely as the sun mounts above the eastern 
horizon and as steadily as the Mississippi moves 
toward the Gulf. As to her future decisions, 
satisfactory forecasting is difficult ; the unfold- 
ing of events must determine. She will act 
conscientiously. 

(46) 


“United We Stand.” 


4 7 


For the male members of this house money- 
making had a fascination — in fact, it was rap- 
idly becoming a dominant passion. The trend 
of all their training had been in that direction. 
The father’s teaching and example of energy 
and success had thoroughly established the sons 
in the belief that the “chief concern of mortals 
here below” is to get all you can legitimately 
and hold what you get. The efforts of their 
godly sister to lure them to lines of character 
culture and public-spirited service had seemed 
unavailing. They were fast becoming slaves 
of the money-making habit. This controlling 
passion, too, was meeting with gratification by 
reason of remarkable success. 

The Fraters were a fine business team, with 
Newt in charge of the mercantile and banking 
interests, Si looking after the lumber plants, 
and Joe managing the two plantations, he being 
also the “cotton man.” The Frater brothers 
had become by great odds the strongest finan- 
cial concern within a radius of many miles. 

Newt had said : “We will just go along and 


The F raters. 


keep everything together. It is to the advan- 
tage of all of us to do so. ‘United we stand/ ” 

Joe remarked: “I know that is what father 
thought we ought to do. He was always talk- 
ing it.” 

But Si rejoined: “That may work out all 
right, but how will you know what’s yours? 
How will I know what’s mine? The day of 
settlement has got to come sometime.” 

Joe sneered out: “Settlement nothing! 
What’s the use? What there is is ours. It 
belongs to us, doesn’t it?” 

Si replied: “Yes, that all looks mighty nice 
when we are all well and at work and making 
money; but suppose some of us should break 
down or for some reason or other do no good 
making anything. It wouldn’t be fair for the 
others to ‘divvy up’ with him equals, would 
it?” 

Newt cross-fired: “Nonsense, Si! Your 
mouth is running away with your brain to- 
night. We are all in good health except that 
Myrtle is sort o’ on the complaining list; and 


“United We Stand .” 


49 


we’re not old enough yet to think about quit- 
ting or dividing up, if we ever do. I think 
we had better go right ahead. We’re doing 
mighty well, and that’s hard to beat. There’s 
nobody here to hear it but us. We’re making 
more money than anybody in this part of the 
country by a long shot.” 

Joe joined in: “Yes, Newt’s right about it. 
What have you to say about it, sister? You’re 
keeping mighty quiet, as usual.” 

“What have I to say ? Well, as to the matter 
of success, I can see no reason for complaint. 
On the other hand, there is room for gratitude 
and gratification. We have been greatly fa- 
vored by a good Providence. As to the ques- 
tion raised by Si, I would say that, as I see it, 
the natural bond of brotherhood ought to be 
sufficient guarantee that each one will do right 
with all the others. Since you have called me 
out in this discussion, I shall avail myself of 
the opportunity to say some other things that I 
have in mind. While I observe with a measure 
of gratified interest the success that you boys 
4 


50 


The F raters. 


are achieving, I confess to a degree of painful 
solicitude as you seem to become more and 
more absorbed in the effort to make money. 
Life means much more than being merely a 
sphere of activity to accumulate wealth, ac- 
cording to my interpretation. Permit me to 
suggest, my dear brothers, that you do not 
reserve any time, practically, from your busy 
rounds for self-improvement, for spiritual cul- 
tivation, or for being public-spirited and useful 
citizens. And then, if you will pardon me, I 
will say, further, that I think the idea and prac- 
tice of economy has been overdone. I do not 
at all object to the small part I perform in the 
daily program. I enjoy housekeeping and put- 
ting into practice what little knowledge I may 
have of the culinary art and, as to that matter, 
running the whole scale of domestic affairs. I 
expect to make myself as useful as I can; but 
may I suggest, without being misunderstood, 
that a number of necessary comforts and con- 
veniences might be procured which would add 
greatly to the enjoyment of our home? Nei- 


“United We Stand” 51 

ther the house nor the furniture is at all in 
keeping* with the means at command nor with 
the better-appointed homes about us. A little 
paint and paper would help out a good deal. 
And while I am talking I’ll say another thing, 
unless by doing so I shall startle you too 
much” — 

Said Si : “Go ahead, sister, while you’re at 
it. I never saw you on such a rampage be- 
fore.” 

She continued: “As I was going to say, I 
think you are lacking in liberality. You’re too 
close with your money. What is money for 
but to use? It makes an excellent servant; 
but once it becomes master, woe be to the slave 
it dominates! To be more specific, you give 
very little heed to the cause of benevolence and 
religion. Father paid much more liberally to 
these interests than you are doing, and in this 
regard I suppose he did very well considering 
his training; but I should so much like to see 
enlargement in your liberality.” 


52 


The F raters. 


Joe broke in : “She’s a pretty good preacher, 
isn’t she?” 

Newt made excuse : “O, I guess it’s all right 
for people who are interested in those things to 
pay in pretty strong; but I’m just so busy that 
I don’t have time to go to church, and I’m not 
much on paying for what I don’t get.” 

Si chimed in: “That’s sorter my ticket, 
Newt. Sister can go for the rest and then 
preach it over to us if she can catch us still 
long enough.” 

Joe emphasized: “She’s a crackerjack of a 
preacher all right.” 

“Well, boys,” said Newt candidly, “sister 
has told us the truth. I know we ought to do 
better, and so do you; but somehow it’s hard 
to get at it.” 

Martha came again : “The fact that gives me 
most concern is your retrogression. You are 
going backward instead of forward. I fear 
that your financial success has consumed the 
spirit of liberality.” 

“Sister,” said Si half jestingly, “when we 


United We Stand ” 


53 


get rich, we’ll do better about paying and may- 
be praying too; but on this last proposition I 
wouldn’t make any rash promises. We will 
look to you to round us up once in a while and 
keep us in the middle of the road.” 

Martha replied : “That is precisely what I 
am endeavoring to do now.” 

Myrtle spoke up: “Well, if you are all 
through with your preachments and arguments, 
I think we had better adjourn and get a little 
sleep.” 

It was a rare thing for Myrtle to say any- 
thing in general conversation. Her father had 
given her good educational advantages, which 
she improved only in a moderate degree. Soon 
after her school days were over, her good looks 
and vivacity drew to her side an ardent wooer, 
to whom in due process of time and courtship 
she became engaged to be married. But, alas ! 
one month before the arrival of the happy day 
that fell destroyer of human hopes, typhoid 
fever, swept him from the walks of life and 
left her henceforth to travel alone the gloomy 


54 


The F raters. 


path of disappointment. It was now four 
years since this awful experience came to her. 
She had never rallied nor apparently made any 
effort to rally from the severe shock. In a list- 
less, half-hearted manner she met and con- 
quered the small details of daily service which 
fell to her lot or was conquered by them; and 
with her it mattered little whether she was the 
positive or the negative factor. Her sister 
thought and planned for her largely; in fact, 
she had become such a negative character that 
she made very few demands upon any one for 
anything. 

Once more Joe reflected the family senti- 
ment : “Well, we’ve stood together so far, and 
that’s several years, and I am here thinking 
that we have done tolerably well. No com- 
plaints from this quarter.” 

Si replied : “So say we all. Good night.” 

“But,” remarked Martha, “before we sepa- 
rate for the night — this is Saturday — let’s all 
promise to attend Church services at the Meth- 
odist church to-morrow. It is a special occa- 


“United We Stand ” 55 

sion, and I am sure that you’ll be interested. 
I learn that some visitor is to fill the pulpit.” 

Said Si lightly: “I have not been to church 
in so long that I wouldn’t know how to be- 
have.” 

Joe made excuse : “I had a little trip planned 
for to-morrow. I don’t think I can go.” 

Newt proposed: “Well, I have neglected go- 
ing till I’m ashamed of it. Let’s all go with 
sister one time, anyway.” 

Si replied : “Well, we’ll see in the morning.” 
Joe said agreeingly: “Sleep on it and see 
what sort of dreams we have. I’m starting to 
dreamland right now.” 


VI. 

A Special Occasion. 

BEFORE the Sunday school teachers had 
finished with their classes, the people be- 
gan assembling for the eleven o’clock service; 
for the ideal condition in which all church at- 
tendants should be in Sunday school and all 
Sunday school pupils should remain for the 
preaching service had not yet obtained in the 
Lexington Church. The announcement made 
the preceding Sunday by the pastor, the Rev. 
Porter Phillips, and published in the town pa- 
pers, that there would be an occasion of un- 
usual interest, with an address by a visiting 
gentleman from the West, had excited some 
curiosity and increased the audience by the 
time the speaker began to the capacity of the 
large auditorium. 

Miss Martha Frater’s class of young ladies 
wondered what could be the matter that she 
was absent. “She never misses/’ one re- 

(56) 


A Special Occasion. 


57 


marked, “when she is well.” While yet re- 
maining in the classes, Nettie Markham asked 
Mr. Curtis, the teacher of the class of young 
ladies: “What is the special occasion to be, 
Mr. Curtis? Brother Phillips did not say in 
his announcement last Sunday.” Mr. Curtis 
replied that he had not heard anything more 
than that there would be an address delivered 
by a visiting layman, who is said to be an able 
speaker. As to his theme, he had not been 
advised. 

Susie Pointer whispered to Lucy Lowman: 
“Just look at the people pouring in ! See how 
many strangers! Well, I wish you would tell 
me, whoever can that be with Miss Martha 
Frater?” 

“Well, as I live, if those are not her broth- 
ers!” said Lucy. “Who ever saw them at 
church? I reckon this is going to be a big 
occasion sure enough to draw them out.” 

“I thought they looked like the Fraters,” 
replied Susie, “but I didn’t think they ever 
went to church.” 


58 


The F raters. 


The organ voluntary pealed forth its solemn 
and restful music as the pastor and visiting 
brother came onto the pulpit from the pastor's 
study in the rear. Very few in the audience 
recognized the visitor. Martha Frater looked 
intently a moment, flushed slightly, and moved 
nervously in her seat. Her brothers stared at 
the man as though he had just arrived in an 
ethereal machine from the moon. The visitor 
had good command of himself, but seemed 
completely absorbed as he glanced over the 
crowd. When his gaze reached a certain sec- 
tion in the audience, it became fixed. 

The pastor had charge of all preliminaries, 
which were brief and pertinent. As the last 
hymn before the introduction was being sung, 
the pastor's face was a study. Did it reveal 
more of complacency or of anxiety? of satis- 
faction or of doubt? As the “amen" of the 
hymn died away the pastor arose and said : 

The members of my congregation are aware 
that I have been endeavoring to furnish from 
time to time through well-quaJified men funda- 


A Special Occasion. 


59 


mental and practical instruction on the settled 
policies of our Church; and it affords me no 
ordinary gratification to announce as our speak- 
er to-day a gentleman and brother whom some 
of you may remember, as he was once a resi- 
dent of this city. In very recent years he has 
become deeply interested in religious matters 
and has frequently been the speaker on great 
occasions in his adopted home in the West. 
Sometime ago we had an address on “Mis- 
sions/’ later an able presentation of the subject 
of “Church Extension.” To-day we shall be 
favored with an address on “The Value of the 
Christian Ministry and Its Proper Support.” 
I have the very great pleasure of introducing 
Brother Hubert Howard, who will now address 
you. 

Mr. Howard stepped quietly and firmly for- 
ward, looking every inch a man, and his moral 
manhood was as great in measurement as was 
his physical. He began: 

My Friends: I confess to a large degree o>f 
pleasure, as well as a consciousness of incom- 
petency, in returning to my former home, after 
an absence of several years, in the capacity of 


6o 


The Praters. 


a public talker. For some time past I have re- 
garded the contribution of my personal service 
in Church enterprises as both a duty and a priv- 
ilege. I think it cause for sincere regret that 
such a small per cent of our laymen assume 
activity in the great propaganda of the Church. 
The importance of the theme announced it 
would be difficult to exaggerate without resort- 
ing to the use of extravagant language. As 
Brother Phillips has already told you, I am to 
say something on “The Value of the Christian 
Ministry and Its Proper Support. ,, The rea- 
sons for my having undertaken to make special 
preparation on the subject announced are, in 
the first place, its prime importance, and, in the 
second place, because it is a subject which a 
minister cannot discuss freely and unembar- 
rassed as can a layman. 

And so Mr. Howard launched forth in the 
treatment of his subject. Without being able 
to make full report of all he said, the following 
fragments will give some idea of the trend of 
the discourse and of the earnestness of the 
speaker. He said : 


A Special Occasion. 61 

The work of the minister of the gospel is 
fundamentally necessary to the safety, peace, 
and prosperity of society at large. Of all pub- 
lic servants, there are none to whom the people 
owe a deeper debt of gratitude or more liberal 
moral and material support. The preacher be- 
longs to the public. He is everybody’s man. 
Any case of real need may command his time 
and strength. He is normally a molder of pub- 
lic sentiment and a leader in thought. What is 
more important still, he stimulates the making 
of character; and so his work abides. He con- 
tributes to the development of Christian civili- 
zation and is a nation builder to the extent that 
he aids in making good citizens and good pa- 
triots. One of our Church historians refers to 
a pioneer Methodist as “one of the saddlebags 
men to whom Western civilization is more in- 
debted than to any other class of agents.” 

The preacher is also an influential factor in 
the development of material values and the in- 
crease of wealth ; for as he preaches the gospel 
he touches life at every vital point — in the 
home, in social, political, and business life — 
and quickens activity in all legitimate interests. 
While the preacher is not a direct producer of 


62 


The F raters. 


wealth, it cannot escape the notice of the 
thoughtful student of society that he has ex- 
erted, either directly or indirectly, tremendous 
influence upon material values and business 
prosperity. In a very vital sense he has helped 
to create our civilization and our wealth, and 
hence every principle of equity is involved in 
his comfortable support. And in the clear light 
of justice this principle must apply to the entire 
life of the minister, in age and retirement as 
well as when leading the hosts to victory; for 
his consecration to this sacred calling is for life. 

Moreover, he is the confidential friend of 
those who bring to him their heart burdens, the 
adviser and helper of lonely widows and de- 
pendent orphans. In the great and trying crises 
of their lives he is close to the people. He is 
present to pronounce his blessing and extend 
his congratulations on the festive marriage oc- 
casion. He is never wanting when serious ill- 
ness intrudes upon his community. Even when 
the last enemy makes relentless invasion he is 
present with tender and sympathetic words, 
cheering and comforting those who sit in the 
painful silences. 

His hand is upon the young for guidance — 


A Special Occasion . 


63 


in the home, in the Sunday school, in the young 
people’s meetings, in the day school — every- 
where. He is offered as a daily sacrifice on the 
altar of service. Not only is heavy draft made 
upon his time and energy, but also upon his 
responsive sympathy. Heavy tribute is laid 
upon the very sinews of his life. So, upon the 
most casual observation, one cannot avoid see- 
ing that the community at large is deeply in- 
debted to the minister of the gospel as the most 
valuable public servant in their midst, since he 
aids the people in obtaining the things which 
are imperishable, the eternal verities for which 
alone it is worth while to live and worthy to die. 

But if we consider the larger community 
under such a debt of obligation to the preacher, 
how much more is the Christian denomination, 
which approves and commands his service, time, 
strength, and life, under solemn bond to sustain 
him morally and guarantee to him and his de- 
pendents comfortable support during life or the 
period of need ! 

More especially are those Churches under 
such obligation which have the itinerant system, 
as has our Methodist Church, because, while 
this system is very effective, it makes more 


64 


The F raters. 


serious exactions upon its ministry than do the 
settled pastorates. Frequent and long moves 
and the small salaries of the great majority of 
itinerants render it impossible for them to pro- 
vide against the inevitable want which is inci- 
dent to age or illness. The itinerancy is a great 
system for searching out and serving the people 
in all the nooks and corners of the land, but 
none need enter this service except true heroes. 

The itinerant surrenders at once the right to 
choose his field of labor and to name the salary 
for which he is to work. Often the pay is 
gravely insufficient to meet the modest de- 
mands. And I cannot forbear in this connec- 
tion to say, with reference to the wives of the 
preachers, that if there is any difference in the 
manner of their meeting these exigent condi- 
tions, the heroine is often greater than the hero. 

But the most pitiful aspect of the entire 
subject, as I view it, is that which relates to 
the preacher in retirement. At the very time 
the regular salary ceases, the superannuate, 
with increasing infirmities, is reduced to a gra- 
tuity and often to a pittance. The allowance 
being inadequate to meet actual necessities, it 
becomes a question of the old man or the wid- 


r A Special Occasion . 65 

ow seeking and performing some humble serv- 
ice on small pay or of further cutting down the 
already meager supplies. As a rule, they will 
not complain, but they can suffer. I am thank- 
ful to believe, however, that in regard to their 
comfort a brighter day is dawning. We shall 
do a better part henceforth by the veterans of 
the cross. The Church is awaking to this great 
task. May the day of its completion soon shed 
its welcome light upon us ! 

The speaker closed his remarks in a perora- 
tion complimentary to the heroic and unselfish 
lives of the itinerant preachers and their wives, 
so forceful and eloquent that the great audi- 
ence listened with almost breathless attention. 
Mr. Howard resumed his seat. The pastor 
arose and said : “I feel that we owe a great debt 
of gratitude to Brother Howard for this able 
address, and I wish to thank him out of the 
depths of my heart for the message he has 
brought. I feel sure that this audience would 
like to join me in this expression. If so, you 
may stand.” Promptly and unanimously they 
arose. “Please remain standing and sing : 

5 


66 


The Praters. 


“ ‘Blest be the tie that binds 

Our hearts in Christian love/ ” 

The hymn ended, the pastor said the bene- 
diction. The people pressed forward to the 
pulpit to shake hands with the speaker and 
thank him. 

Mr. Spencer, Chairman of the Official Board 
of the Church, said : “Brother Howard, I want 
to thank you. You have enlightened me upon 
this important subject. I have been ignorant 
of many facts that you have given us. Never 
before have I seen just how poorly our super- 
annuated preachers and the widows and or- 
phans have been provided for and how strongly 
the obligation of their support rests upon us.” 
Many others made similar comments. 

Miss Martha Frater came with the throng to 
greet the speaker. For once she was percepti- 
bly nervous and without her usual self -com- 
posure. Mr. Howard saw this and also per- 
ceived that she had greatly changed in appear- 
ance. She seemed much older, thinner, and 
paler. He peered into her face a moment, and 


A Special Occasion. 67 

his intense gaze suddenly changed into a look 
of pathos. “Mr. Howard,” she said, “I am as 
glad as I am surprised to see and hear you to- 
day. In all my dreams I have never dreamed 
of hearing you speak in a church. You have 
evidently given much study to the subject. 
You have informed and inspired me. I wish 
to express my appreciation of your address.” 

Mr. Howard replied : “Miss Martha, I thank 
you. It is worth while for me to have made 
the effort if I have your favorable judgment.” 

She thanked him and replied : “I hope to see 
you again and inquire how you are getting 
on in your far-away Western home. It seems 
such a long time since you went away ! I can- 
not recover from the surprise at your coming, 
and, I was about to say, coming in the capac- 
ity of a preacher.” 

“Well, they do sometimes call me a lay 
preacher at home. I shall see you again before 
going. There are many strangers here to- 
day.” 

After the Fraters returned home, they fin- 


68 


The F raters. 


ished a running conversation that they had car- 
ried on along the way about the service. 

Joe said : “That man certainly is some talk- 
er, and I never was so surprised in my life as 
when I heard Hubert Howard speaking like 
that” 

“Surprised? I guess you was,” Si added. 
“I never expected to see him again, let alone 
hear him speak. But I want to tell you he 
made me think just a little and feel kind o’ 
solemnlike too.” 

“Of course everybody was surprised to see 
him,” added Newt. “He’s changed a whole 
lot ; but he’s a good talker, anyway. I’ll have 
to hand him that. It’s a shame about the old 
preachers, isn’t it? I’m certainly sorry for 
them. Is Dr. Robertson superannuated?” 

“Yes,” answered Martha; “he broke down 
about five years ago.” 

Si queried : “Sister, is Hubert Howard mar- 
ried?” 

“O yes, long ago, I understand,” answered 
Martha. She hastened to add : “Mr. Howard 


A Special Occasion. 


69 


is a very impressive and able speaker. He also 
had an interesting subject, and he treated his 
unusual theme in a most attractive manner. 
He certainly made it clear that the indebted- 
ness to the ministry is great and that much of 
the indebtedness remains undischarged. I'm 
sure that his address will awaken interest for 
the superannuated preachers and the widows 
and children. It was great.” 

The current of the River of Time had borne 
Hubert Howard, Martha Frater, and the rest 
far toward the ocean of eternity since last they 
had met. Silver threads had appeared among 
the gold, but Martha was still a beautiful wom- 
an. On her pale, refined face could be traced 
only the spiritual, the noblest, and the best. 
Many a time afterwards reference was made 
to this occasion and to Hubert Howard’s great 
speech. 


VII. 


The Subtle Sin of Neglect. 

jy^ANHOOD’S midday sun had already 
shone upon the youngest of the Frater 
brothers, while Newt and Si had entered that 
indefinable area of time called the prime of 
life. They all appeared to be older than they 
were. They had been hard and constant work- 
ers. Business was a serious affair with them 
and recreation a stranger. The vital forces 
held constantly on the revolving grindstone of 
hard mental and physical labor for seven days 
in the week had worn away every semblance 
of youth, and deep-furrowed care was settling 
upon their wrinkled brows. Even the pleasant 
little jests of former times were now extremely 
rare. When they talked with each other, they 
talked of business and nothing else. They held 
frequent counsel as to their plans and ex- 
changed experiences. One thing could still 
light up their faces to radiance, and that one 

(70) 


The Subtle Sin of Neglect . 71 

thing was financial success. A great coil of 
covetousness had wrapped itself around their 
nobler manhood until they no longer had free- 
dom of action. They were the overworked 
slaves of prosperity. Rapidly were they be- 
coming atrophied under the influence of the 
mercantile temper of the times, of which they 
were prominent exponents. 

The recitation of the foregoing facts has 
already prepared the reader in a measure for a 
glance into the Frater home. The furnishing 
was extremely plain, but scrupulously neat and 
clean. Martha had always contributed more 
than her share toward home comfort. Without 
making herself unpleasantly insistent, which, 
in fact, her unselfishness would not permit, she 
had been unable to have such a home as she 
felt they could well afford and the aesthetic 
effect of which she saw more and more was 
sorely needed. More recently, however, there 
was a perceptible decline in the usual neat ap- 
pearance of things. This had come about 
within the past two years. Soon after the 


72 


The F raters. 


great occasion of Hubert Howard’s visit and 
able address Martha Frater suffered a serious 
nervous collapse and became utterly unable to 
look after the keeping of the home; and so, 
with Myrtle’s continued listless state of mind, 
the hiring of a servant became compulsory, 
and a third-rate colored cook and housegirl 
combined was employed. No one can tell, and 
Martha Frater will never disclose, the torture 
of her fine sensibilities under these trying con- 
ditions. She had her own private room, which 
had always been noted for neatness and good 
taste. Now that she was unable to care for 
the room to which she was confined, it was 
dusty and unattractive because, as she said, 
“Aunt Sally just will not dust and tidy things 
up as I should like.” 

The brothers were never positively unkind to 
their sister — that is, they did not mean to be 
unkind. They thought that she was the great- 
est one living. They knew her unselfishness. 
They had every reason to know that she had 
deliberately crucified a great affection and de- 


The Subtle Sin of Neglect. 73 

nied herself of her heart’s great longing that 
she might help them and keep things together. 
She could have shared the great success and 
honor which had been achieved by the man 
who would have given anything possible to 
have possessed her. She might have been Mrs. 
Hubert Howard, happily presiding with grace 
and tact in one of the most beautiful mansions 
in the great West. They knew all this, if they 
would only allow themselves to reflect. 

But they were not given to reflection upon 
lines which did not converge directly upon 
their own selfish ambitions. It was all very 
well that she had materially aided them in ac- 
cumulating a fortune. They had always treat- 
ed her suggestions about home improvements 
and home comforts jestingly and “laughed 
them out of court.” It had not dawned upon 
them that they owed her a great debt which, 
do what they might, they would never be able 
to discharge. The thought that they were 
sadly neglecting her now in her physical de- 
cline and loneliness had not emerged through 


74 


The Praters. 


the manifold incrustations of covetousness 
which enveloped their sordid brains. 

Yes, that was the real and exact status of 
the case. These serious facts had not occurred 
to them. They were simply preoccupied with 
business. They were carrying out to the letter 
the popular program of the materialistic times 
in which they lived — namely, the objective to- 
ward which all human endeavor should move 
is a fortune. They were obsessed with the 
common error that wealth can secure happiness. 
Strange was it, indeed, that the suggestion did 
not creep along the natural lines of brotherhood 
which had held them together all the years and 
say: “Men, your neglect is driving a dagger 
through the heart of your noble, unselfish sis- 
ter.” No one ever heard her utter a word of 
complaint with reference to her treatment. 

But the neighbors talked. Of course they 
did. This was altogether too good an oppor- 
tunity for one to express one’s opinion to let 
pass unimproved. 

Mrs. Jones, wife of one of the stewards of 


The Subtle Sin of Neglect. 


75 


the Church, said : “I think it is a shame and a 
lasting disgrace to those Frater men that they 
neglect their sister as they do. She is the finest 
character I ever knew and really a great wom- 
an.” 

Mrs. Epperson replied: “It is the strangest 
and most unaccountable thing of the kind I 
ever knew of or heard about. Martha Frater 
has lived largely for them. She threw away 
as fine prospects as a young woman ever had, 
and all for them; and they have never shared 
with her properly the success which she has 
helped them to achieve. And now for the last 
year or two her case is simply pitiful.” 

Said Mrs. Jones: “It is the strangest thing. 
They do not seem to know that they are neg- 
lecting her. What is the matter with them? 
Just gone mad after money, I suppose, and 
don’t realize it.” 

Mrs. Epperson suggested: “Yes, and there 
is another sad phase of the matter too; and 
that is, Martha has lived such a noble life be- 
fore them and has tried so hard to get them to 


?6 


The F raters. 


be religious and to be broad-minded and public- 
spirited citizens and, as far as I can see, has 
utterly failed. Why, I think that is really what 
is killing her by degrees.” 

“And poor Myrtle, helpless thing,” added 
Mrs. Jones, “is no comfort or help to anybody; 
and the brothers come home only to sleep, eat 
a late supper and an early breakfast, and go 
again. O, if they would only stop long enough 
to think a little! What will they do with all 
their money, anyway ? It’s a sin and a burning 
shame the way they are treating their sister.” 

Martha Frater had much time for reflection. 
Only once was she ever heard *to say anything. 
Being much alone for such a long period, she 
sometimes thought aloud to herself. And so 
it happened that one warm afternoon Mrs. 
Susie Pointer White had gone to see her and, 
coming softly near the door, which was ajar, 
and hearing a voice within, it flashed over her 
that Martha was praying, and she must not 
intrude. She stood still. “No, she must be 
talking confidentially to some one. What shall 


The Subtle Sin of Neglect . 77 

I do?” She turned to go ; and, hearing a foot- 
fall, Martha said : “Come in. O, it is my dear 
little friend Susie ! I am so glad to see you.” 

“How are you, Miss Martha? I am so glad 
I can come and see you. It is one of my 
greatest privileges.” 

“Well, my dear, you doubtless heard me 
talking to myself. I sometimes feel as if I 
should succumb to sheer loneliness ; and I must 
talk, if only to myself. I try never to complain 
at my lot, not even in my feelings; but you 
know, dear, I just wear out thinking, thinking. 
If you will pardon me for imposing my bur- 
dens on your dear self, I will talk on to you as 
if I were talking to myself, for my heart bur- 
dens are heavy. I was saying that maybe, after 
all, it is my fault that my dear brothers are not 
strong Christian characters.” 

“No, Miss Martha, I cannot bear for you 
to intimate such failure on your part. Every 
one knows that you have done your duty.” 

“It is my greatest disappointment that they 
are wholly engrossed in business and that I 


yS The F raters. 

have not seen them the useful and active Chris- 
tians I hoped to see. With the passing of the 
years they seem to have become more and more 
fascinated with the money-making game and 
really do not stop to consider their own well- 
being nor that of other people. I would not 
have you think that they are not good to me. 
I believe I have their sincere brotherly affection ; 
but if they could only spare some time, if they 
would only lend themselves to me, so that I 
might enjoy them! But, sadly, business takes 
precedence. I could joyfully lay down my poor 
life to see them saved. I am often puzzled, 
dear, in my little meditation. I cannot under- 
stand. I could freely lay down my life for 
them and my dear sister if it should be the 
Divine will, and I wonder whether this feeling 
is inspired more by the natural bond of brother- 
hood or by the purely Christian impulse. You 
know, Susie, the question is often seriously 
raised in my mind, Are not the ties of spiritual 
brotherhood stronger, after all, than the natural 
ties of kinship? I cannot decide about this as to 


The Subtle Sin of Neglect. 


79 


myself, not being able to draw the line between 
my natural and my spiritual impulses; but ob- 
servation and reflection have brought me to the 
point of accepting the view that ‘the Christian 
brotherhood is the greatest on earth and ranks 
all others/ I have been forced to the conclu- 
sion that the natural ties of brotherhood are not 
a perfect guarantee.” 

“O, Miss Martha, you raise such interesting 
questions,” said Mrs. White, “and your opin- 
ions seem so satisfactory to me! I dearly love 
to hear you talk. I have had such a delightful 
hour with you! I thank you too; but I must 
go. Good-by.” 

“Good-by, Susie. Your visit brought sun- 
shine and cheer. I thank you so much. Please 
come again soon.” 

After Mrs. White had gone, Martha repeat- 
ed to herself the beautiful words she often 
quoted : 

“I live for those who love me, 

For those whose hearts are true, 

For the heaven that smiles above me 
And awaits my spirit too; 


8o 


The F raters. 


For the wrongs that need resistance. 

For the cause that needs assistance, 

For the future in the distance, 

And the good that I can do.” 

As Mrs. White was on her way home from 
her visit to Martha she met the Rev. W. B. 
Lloyd, her pastor, and related to him the con- 
versation which had just occurred. He ex- 
pressed surprise that Miss Martha had talked 
so freely. He had never before heard of her 
referring to the family affairs nor even to her 
loneliness. He added : “She is one of the most 
unselfish persons I ever knew. ,, 

“She is all but perfection itself , ” said Mrs. 
White. 


VIII. 


Justice versus Brotherly Love. 

'JpHE sin of neglect is not confined to the 
natural brotherhood. The spiritual broth- 
erhood is also seriously involved. Anchored 
near the Island of Helplessness, with meager 
supplies aboard, brave old preachers, heroic 
widows, and dependent children watch the 
ships go by. Relief vessels make few visits. 
When they come, they issue “allowances/’ and 
the allowances do not hold out. So deplorable 
is their situation that voices from the eternities 
are heard in their behalf. 

Justice crieth for their relief, but her cries 
are muffled. In firm and solemn voice she is 
heard to speak thus : “I plead for fairness ev- 
erywhere and in behalf of every one. It is 
right for the able-bodied and the strong in 
every place to aid the weak and the aged. 
Pensions are founded and maintained by my 
sanction. The principle is right, and the cus- 
6 (80 


82 


The F raters. 


tom will become universal. How soon I can- 
not say. My decree is delayed. At the present 
moment I speak of those having special claims 
and special rights. I recognize all public 
servants in one great class, but now refer par- 
ticularly to those who have wrought under 
conscientious compulsion for underpay. It is 
not right for the public to accept needed service 
without reasonable remuneration being made 
to the public servant. Not intending to make 
invidious distinction, which, in fact, I cannot 
do,” said the voice of Justice, “I will consider 
the vocation of the Christian minister and the 
support accorded him. A great standing army 
of ‘good soldiers of the Lord Jesus’ have en- 
dured hard conditions, and will continue to do 
so. The Christian minister’s is the highest form 
of public service rendered. The responsibility 
attending it is much weightier than in other 
callings. Necessarily, strong demands are 
made on the minister’s vital forces; nor is 
compensation for this high service to be com- 
pared with that of other vocations, only to suf- 


Justice versus Brotherly Love . 83 

fer by the comparison. The average salary of 
the ministers of the gospel is the smallest of all 
professions, while the importance and value of 
their work is greatest to the public. I demand 
for them better things/’ said Justice, “for I 
have witnessed the severe exactions made upon 
their slim salaries. They must often set the 
pace of liberality in benevolence and charity. 
The demands upon them for apparel for them- 
selves and families and the necessary outlay 
for books and literature are out of proportion 
to the amount of money placed at their dispos- 
al. They must walk in front of the procession 
and be costumed and panoplied to lead. Then 
I know, furthermore,” said Justice, “that fre- 
quent and extraordinary demands are made 
upon their limited resources and that their 
readiness to respond often embarrasses their 
ability to pay. That they get on at all with- 
out bringing reproach upon their high calling 
may well challenge the attention and generous 
respect of all observers.” 

Brotherly Love made answer, saying: “Jus- 


8 4 


The F raters. 


tice, you are highly complimentary to that body 
of people constituted and empowered by my 
bond and blessing, 'the greatest brotherhood on 
earth/ The perfect brotherhood was the ideal 
toward which the blessed Lord wrought and 
that for which he gave himself in incessant toil 
and to attain which he at last became a willing 
sacrifice. Being Justice, as you are, I know 
that you always speak the truth. I must con- 
fess, however, that I had not observed some 
facts to which you direct attention. I have 
seen the devotion of ministers of the gospel, 
have witnessed their self-abnegation, and have 
urged them on. I did not see, I confess, many 
of the difficulties in their lives which you have 
plainly pointed out. I was absorbed with the 
thought of their success and glorious achieve- 
ment. I am sure that I possessed and controlled 
them so completely that they themselves often 
forgot the trials and self-denials along the way. 
So it is, and so it must always be. If there is to 
be a heroic ministry, I must incite them and 
hearten them. I must blind them to circum- 


Justice versus Brotherly Love . 85 

stances, so that they may walk by faith; and 
faith works by love — that is, by my power. I 
must hold them in hard training for efficiency. 
I must keep up their courage, so that they will 
charge and capture strong fortifications of the 
enemy and yet count these things privileges 
rather than hardships. I must so completely 
possess them that they will not stop by the way 
to number their trials or ponder their poverty 
or even dwell on their successes. Otherwise 
they might ‘become weary in well-doing/ I 
thank you, Justice, for speaking in behalf of 
my chosen band; only do not detain them too 
frequently or too long to reckon the cost of 
their sacrifices or to study their situation in the 
white light of your radiance.” 

“I am willing that you should speak, Broth- 
erly Love, for ideally there is no difference 
between us. It must be recognized, however, 
that the ideal state has not yet obtained in 
the brotherhood; for the members are. not 
wholly governed by Justice nor always moved 
by Brotherly Love. I approve all you have 


86 


The F raters. 


said concerning the devotion and sacrifices in- 
cident to the work of the Christian ministry. 
My strictures do not apply to the servants, but 
to those whom they serve. Let the preacher 
forget everything but his work. He may for- 
get his salary, if his grocer will allow. If pos- 
sible, he may occasionally forget that his dear 
wife is turning and making over an old dress 
for the second time. He may forget the fact 
that his children are subjected to the gibes of 
their companions until they almost blush blood. 
He may, like the great apostle, ‘count all things 
but refuse that he may please Christ/ But I, 
Justice, say that the preacher’s interest in the 
people’s well-being, deepened to absorption and 
utter abandonment, should bring them to re- 
flection and to action in his behalf. Indulge me 
yet a little further. The service of the gospel 
minister extends to the end of his days. His 
consecration is coextensive with his life. I 
therefore assert as a just principle that life 
service should have the consideration of life 
support. Since the salaries of the ministers 


Justice versus Brotherly Love. 87 

are rarely liberal, often meager, and sometimes 
parsimonious, special provisions for the aged 
and dependent are necessary to safeguard their 
comfort. I, Justice, make bold to speak for 
them. I have witnessed the wrongs they have 
suffered. They have submitted in silence. I 
have seen hundreds and thousands of as wor- 
thy souls as ever wrought for the welfare of 
humanity in the autumn of their lives and in 
the grip of infirmities go hungry for proper 
food and destitute of decent apparel. Not be- 
cause they were ostracized or intentionally 
pauperized. They were only overlooked, neg- 
lected. There is no excuse for this existing 
state of facts. Responsible bodies which have 
the power and resources should gratefully and 
gladly provide for the comfortable maintenance 
of their own chosen and well-beloved servants 
retired and no longer equal to the burdens of 
the ministry. To fail at this point is unjust, 
and such failure constitutes a flaw in the ethics 
of the great Christian brotherhood. It is a sad 
comment, Brotherly Love, on your influence 


88 


The F raters. 


and your applied power. The Word saith: 
‘Whoso hath this world’s goods, and beholdeth 
his brother in need, and shutteth up his com- 
passion from him, how does the love of God 
abide in him?’ If he love God, he will also 
love the brethren; and if he love the brethren, 
how can he withhold from them when in 
need ?” 

“Ah! noble Justice, you speak aptly. Those 
who submit to my gentle leading will not forget 
the needy; especially will they not be indiffer- 
ent to those lofty souls who have given their 
lives in unselfish service. How can a true lover 
of the Lord be careless toward his Lord’s 
special friends? I, Brotherly Love, stand for 
brotherly care and brotherly support.” 

Assentingly Justice said: “Now you talk in 
my terms. I sanction what you say. I per- 
ceive that the Christian brotherhood is not free 
from just criticism with reference to the care 
of its aged ministers.” 

“May I suggest, Justice, that I cannot see 
how this great body of spiritual brothers could 


Justice versus Brotherly Love . 89 

be guilty of neglect toward their spiritual fa- 
thers and the widows and dependent children 
of those who gave their lives as willing offer- 
ings on the altar of service? Is it true, is 
it possible that they have willfully neglected 
them ?” 

Justice made reply: “I will not say that the 
neglect was willful. It was inadvertent or in- 
different. One might possibly catch the quick 
step of the moving columns of a progressive 
Church and, under the enkindling enthusiasm 
of her enterprises, leave behind, out of mind 
and out of plan for a time, the dependent, the 
disabled, and the veterans. I observe with 
pleasure evident improvement in the purposes 
and efforts of the brotherhood. I demand for 
all dependents better things. I, Justice, will 
not sleep until they be provided.” 

Brotherly Love answered: “Can I say less? 
Nay, verily. ,, 


IX. 


“A Corn of Wheat.” 

"|\T ART HA FRATER continued ill with no 
^ A perceptible improvement, although for 
many weeks she had been attended by that 
skillful physician, Dr. James Callender, of 
Lexington. The case had not responded to 
treatment. The most that he would say in 
reply to numerous inquiries was that it was a 
persistent and stubborn decline attended with 
symptoms of anaemia. The most exhaustive 
diagnosis did not reveal any active disease. In 
reply to the physician’s questions Martha would 
only say: “I am just tired and have such a 
weary, depressed feeling. No, I do not suffer 
positive pain; only the awfully uneasy feeling 
of exhaustion.” 

The brothers became greatly alarmed over 
her condition. They were doing all they could 
now do and were in deep distress. They had 
Dr. Callender call consulting physicians, but 

(90) 


! A Corn of Wheat ” 


9i 


they advanced no new opinions about the case. 
The best-trained nurse was employed. Martha 
had a host of friends who were extremely at- 
tentive and greatly alarmed over her constant 
decline. Many called to make inquiries, but no 
visitors were allowed to see her. Dr. Callender 
was well up in his profession, a man in middle 
life, honest, and showed great kindness to his 
patients. He was looked upon as a highly 
respectable gentleman, but did not claim to be 
a Christian. 

It had been several days since Martha had 
seen any of her friends when she said: “Dr. 
Callender, I am anxious to see some of my 
friends. Will you not let them come in?” 

“I fear that it might not be well for you, 
Miss Martha. You will have to conserve your 
strength. I fear that company might excite 
your nerves too much.” 

“Doctor, it seems to me that my nerves have 
all disappeared. I think I would be relieved 
if I could feel them tingle again. I think I 
know my condition. I realize, as doubtless 


92 


The F raters. 


you do, that my time is brief. I’m not afraid, 
Doctor. There’s nothing to excite me now. 
I must see some of my friends. I know you 
are too kind to deny me this small request. I 
promise you that I will be calm. You can 
remain if you like when they come.” 

“Whom do you wish to see, Miss Martha? 
Maybe one or two might see you a little while.” 

“I want to see Mrs. White, Mrs. Epperson, 
and my pastor, Brother Lloyd; and I would 
so much love to see Dr. Robertson, but he is 
not able to come.” 

“Well, I will arrange that for you, Miss 
Martha.” 

As Dr. Callender was leaving the Frater 
home Newt called him aside for a close talk 
about his sister’s condition. “Doctor, what do 
you think of the case now? Is there any 
change for the better? I want you to tell me 
exactly what you think.” 

“Well, Newt, there’s no perceptible change 
either way, except she is a little weaker than 
she was yesterday.” 


“A Corn of Wheat” 93 

“Doctor, do you think there is any chance 
at all for her?” 

“I never give up as long as there is life, 
but her chances for recovery are exceedingly 
small. She requested me awhile ago to allow 
her pastor, Mrs. White, and Mrs. Epperson to 
see her, and I consented.” 

“Why, Doctor, don’t you think that might 
make her worse ?” 

The doctor replied: “No; I think it will do 
no harm, and I told her that they could come. 
Of course not all at once. We must be cau- 
tious about it. You can let them know one at 
a time.” 

“Doctor, if you are sure it won’t make her 
worse. I’m worried to death about her. Is 
there anything more that can be done ?” 

“I think not, Newt. It is a complicated and 
stubborn case in which mental depression cuts 
a large figure. In fact, I suspect that the 
cause of her breakdown was over-mental ten- 
sion of some kind. You know that she always 
had a very active mind, and for a long time 


94 


The F raters. 


she has not taken sufficient nourishment to 
keep up the requisite supply of red blood. 
Newt, has she ever worried much over any- 
thing that you know of?” 

“Well, as to fretting about anything, Doc- 
tor, she’s never been a person to do that.” 
Newt answered no further; but a small sug* 
gestion had crept into his mind along with the 
doctor’s question which startled him, but he 
said nothing about it. He would think more 
about that. 

“I have this much I will say before going. 
Your sister is extremely ill. I see but very 
little chance for her recovery. We will do all 
we can consistently for her comfort and to 
gratify her wishes. You might step over and 
let Mrs. Epperson come and see her this, eve- 
ning just a few minutes. She wishes to see 
her. Good evening, Newt.” 

“Good-by, Doctor.” 

By this time Newt was as restless as a polar 
bear. He wanted to do something, but did 
not know what to do. He was glad that Dr. 


“A Corn of Wheat A 95 

Callender had made the suggestion to go for 
Mrs. Epperson, so he lost no time in going. 

Mrs. Epperson came at once. Martha re- 
ceived her with a radiant smile which betok- 
ened her deep joy. Mrs. Epperson was great- 
ly wrought up in her feelings over the rapid 
decline since she had seen her, but tried to 
appear cheerful. She said: “I came to see 
you just the shortest little while. The doctor 
says that I can’t stay long.” 

“I am so glad you came, Mrs. Epperson. I 
know well what is coming. I’m resigned to 
the Father’s will, whatever it is. I make one 
request of you, and I know that you will not 
deny me. If I go soon, before I see my poor 
brothers saved, won’t you and Susie and 
Brother Lloyd pray for them till they come in? 
Maybe they will yet change. How happy I 
should be to know it ! I have lived for them, 
and sometimes I think I am dying for them. 
Who knows?” 

“Martha, I know that Susie and Brother 
Lloyd will join me, and I can assure you that 


9 6 


The F raters. 


we will do our best to comply with your re- 
quest. Martha, I would love to talk longer, 
but I am admonished that I must not now. 
I'll see you soon. Good-by.” 

“I thank you so much for coming and for 
promising me. I’ll be happier for it. Good- 
by.” 

The trained nurse, Miss Templeton, was 
deeply impressed with the conversation. 

The next morning at nine o’clock Dr. Cal- 
lender came. He was glad to see that his pa- 
tient had held up so well and told her so. She 
replied: “Yes, Doctor, I rested better last 
night. Mrs. Epperson’s visit did me so much 
good. My mind is somewhat relieved. She 
promised that she would get Susie and Brother 
Lloyd to join her in praying for my poor broth- 
ers until they are saved.” 

“Well, Miss Martha, they’ll come around all 
right,” returned the doctor; for he was now 
walking on ground where he was not quite sure 
of his feet. 

Her reference to her brothers strengthened 


97 


“A Corn of Wheat/ 1 

the clue that the doctor thought he had. Then 
his thoughts flashed out into psychological 
speculation a moment: “What influence could 
the mental state possibly have in breaking 
down a strong physique ?” 

Martha recalled him to the practical by say- 
ing: “Doctor, in spite of heavy mental bur- 
dens I’ve had to carry, I’m so peaceful this 
morning. I feel so happy. The Lord doeth 
all things well.” As she thus talked so quietly 
in a low voice and measured words her face 
was aglow with an unearthly light. 

The doctor was profoundly moved by what 
he saw and heard. He had never before seen 
so much of heaven in a human countenance. 
As he went away he thought: “That good 
woman is possessed by some sort of divine 
power. Wonderful! Wonderful!” All day 
long at intervals the scene was thrown back 
upon the screen of his memory. He could not 
get away from it. “Surely she must be very 
near heaven to have so much of its light flashed 
upon her face,” he said aloud to himself. 

7 


98 


The F raters. 


At eleven o’clock Brother Lloyd came. Mar- 
tha expressed great joy in her face at his 
coming. They exchanged greetings. Just at 
that moment Mrs. Susie White came. Martha 
was so much exhausted that she could scarcely 
be heard. Brother Lloyd gave her to under- 
stand that he and Mrs. White had entered into 
a prayer pact with Mrs. Epperson. Martha 
seemed overjoyed. She said: “Surely God will 
hear and answer. I believe it. ‘Faith is . . . 
the evidence of things not seen.’ Susie, I’m so 
happy to see you again.” 

Warned that their call should be brief, 
Brother Lloyd, after saying a few comforting 
words, arose to go. At Martha’s request he 
prayed. The prayer was short, pointed, unc- 
tuous. When they left, Martha was in a state 
of quiet ecstasy. 

Early in the afternoon Martha told her 
nurse that she wanted to talk with her brothers 
and sister all together. It was easily arranged. 
In a short while they came. They all seemed 
to realize that it was the final meeting for the 


99 


“A Corn of Wheat ” 

family group. Martha had rallied and seemed 
much stronger. Her voice could now be heard 
distinctly. As he came to her bedside Newt 
asked: “How are you feeling, sister?” 

She talked slowly: “I’m not suffering now 
and feel better. I wanted to see you all to- 
gether once more. How sorry I am to leave 
you, God only knows. O, if I could only be 
assured that we will take up the thread of life 
together beyond the mysterious river, I could 
leave you so much easier! I know that the 
blessed Saviour is with me and all is well with 
my poor soul. I feel so unworthy, and yet I 
have tried to do my duty.” 

“O sister, we all know that you have done 
more than your part,” said Myrtle. 

“No, child ; I could not have done more than 
my duty. I have tried to please my Saviour 
and to live for others. It didn’t matter with 
me so much about what I wanted or did not 
want if I could only help other people.” 

“We know, sister, that you have lived a lot 
more for us than you have for yourself. I am 


100 


The F raters. 


beginning to see that now as I never did be- 
fore. Martha, we boys haven’t treated you 
right.” In broken voice Newt continued: “I 
see it. O, I see it now ! It’s too late to do any 
good. But O, sister, won’t you forgive us? 
O, if I could only go back and live it over 
again, I’d do it differently.” 

“That part of it is all right, brother. Don’t 
worry over that. If you will only be good 
Christians, all of you, that will repay me a 
thousand times over for any little sacrifices I 
have made.” 

Si asked: “Sister, do you reckon the Lord 
could forgive a poor hard-hearted set like we 
are?” 

“O Silas, he will gladly forgive if you will 
surrender your lives to him.” 

“Well, I don’t hardly see how he can,” said 
Joe. “Sister, won’t you ask him to?” 

They were all quietly weeping except Mar- 
tha, who was as calm and serene as a fair May 
morning. Between sobs Newt got sufficient 
control of himself to say : “Sister, for the last 


“A Corn of Wheat” ioi 

day or two I have seen that we have almost 
murdered you by our careless and wicked ways, 
and it’s about to kill me. Can you forgive 
us?” 

“O, my dear Newton, I have nothing but 
love for you all. There is nothing for me to 
forgive. If my death could be used to accom- 
plish what my life has failed to do, it would be 
glorious to die. Only tell me that you will all 
be good Christians and meet me in heaven, and 
then I can be released and walk down into the 
valley, which is already lighted up for my 
going.” They all promised. “Your faces 
look so beautiful to me, as if it were heaven’s 
light upon you.” 

By this time Martha’s mite of remaining 
strength had ebbed out, and she ceased to talk. 
Her face shone “as it had been the face of 
an angel.” Her brilliant brown eyes gradually 
closed. The silence was awful. Only her 
breathing could be heard. Not even the nurse 
dared to stir. All in the room felt that they 


102 


The F raters. 


ought to be able to see a heavenly messenger 
bending over her bed. 

In a few minutes the doctor came. Martha 
was sleeping deeply. He did not arouse her. 
As he went away he answered Joe’s question : 
“She will hardly get through the night.” 

The pastor and other friends came in after 
supper and waited anxiously until the end 
came, at midnight. She is never to see another 
sunrise, but henceforth will have “no need of 
the sun.” This was on Friday night. 

The funeral service was held at the church 
the next Sunday at 2:30 p.m. by her pastor, 
the Rev. W. B. Lloyd. There was a large 
gathering of the people, for Martha Frater had 
a stronger hold on public esteem than any oth- 
er woman in Lexington. A small group of 
colored people were standing by a window of 
the church, on the outside. Aunt Sally, who 
had been so long at the Frater home, with tears 
running down her black cheeks, said: “Miss 
Martha was sho’ de bes’ woman ever I seed 
or hearn tell uv. Lordy, how I’ll miss her! 


“A Corn of Wheat” 103 

She done gone right straight up to heaven. 
Dey ain’t no other place for her to go to.” 

One of the others responded : “Ain’t dat de 
truth?” 

Martha had requested her pastor two weeks 
before her death to have a very simple service, 
saying: “I do not feel worthy of any sort of 
eulogy.” 

As Newt and Myrtle, then Si and Joe, fol- 
lowed the flower-covered casket down the aisle 
of the church they appeared as though they 
were going to their own funerals. There was 
no weeping. They seemed to be in the grasp 
of despair. Flowers covered the chancel. The 
music was sweet and appropriate. At the time 
for the pastor to speak, with evident but sup- 
pressed emotion he said : 

The presence of this immense company is 
itself a strong and beautiful tribute to the mem- 
ory of the good woman who has been taken 
from our midst. I am under the restraint of 
her own request that this service must be simple 
and brief. She said that she felt unworthy of 


104 77 z £ F raters. 

any extended eulogy. In this request was man- 
ifested her strongest trait, self-effacement. 
Her beautiful life, good deeds, and charming 
spirit are well known to this people. Often 
have I heard it remarked of her that she was 
the most unselfish of persons. Her ideals were 
lofty, her noble purposes unchanging, and her 
efforts to do good incessant. What splendid 
work she did for our young people in her long 
service as a Sunday school teacher and for 
some time as President of the Epworth League ! 
Like all earnest Christians, she did not see the 
full fruitage of her labors and longings. “She 
hath done what she could/’ 

Her vicarious life has made its impress 
upon all who came within the circle of her in- 
fluence. Her humble and holy ambition was to 
do good as far as she had opportunity. Nat- 
urally and properly, her concern was intensified 
for her own kindred. How strikingly did she 
say in her last conversation, “If my death could 
be used to accomplish what my life has failed 
to do, it would be glorious to die” ! Who can 
tell whether her impressive illness and death 
may not accomplish great things? May her 
deferred hopes yet be realized! Her example 


“A Corn of Wheat.” 


105 


was worthy of our imitation. “She rests from 
her labors, and her works do follow her.” The 
bereaved brothers and sister have our sincere 
sympathy and prayers. 

In the presence of a large company of 
friends, with simple service, sweet singing, 
and a profusion of beautiful flowers, they gave 
her weary body to the embraces of the sweet 
sleep of the Christian in Mount Hope Ceme- 
tery. All present were deeply impressed with 
the utter despairing grief of the brothers and 
Myrtle. This was the first incident that had 
broken into their busy lives to disturb the reg- 
ular order of things since the death of their 
father some years before. They were terribly 
shaken. 

A protracted service had been in progress at 
the Methodist church for a week, the pastor 
himself doing the preaching. Already some 
interest was awakened. Brother Lloyd was 
intensely anxious to get the Fraters into the 
meeting. He felt that maybe Providence had 
opened the way. Of course he did not expect 


io6 


The F raters. 


them at the Sunday evening service. Would 
they come Monday ? He was anxious about it. 

On Monday morning Newt said: “I didn’t 
sleep an hour last night. I’m all to pieces. I 
don’t know what’s the matter. My appetite is 
gone.” 

Myrtle had taken the seat at the table which 
her sister had always occupied in former times. 
She appeared normal and interested in what 
was going on. She replied to Newt’s remarks : 
“O, you will get better in a day or two, broth- 
er, when your nerves get quiet. We have been 
under an awful strain.” 

Joe added: “I don’t feel like undertaking 
any business to-day, but I guess I’ll have to. 
I am going to come in early and go to church 
to-night.” 

Newt said : “It’s a good place to go. Sister 
was right. But I don’t think I’ll be able. I 
want to see Dr. Callender.” 

Si proposed to take Myrtle to the evening 
service, and she readily agreed. After break- 
fast Newt strolled off toward town looking 


“A Corn of Wheat” 


107 


all caved in. He thought that maybe the time 
had come for a final reckoning. He felt like 
the judgment was near, but he moped on to- 
ward the doctor's office. Finding him in, he 
said : “Doctor, Fm a sick man and don't know 
what's the matter. I feel like I'm going to 
die. Can't you do something for me?" 

The doctor asked: “Are you suffering any 
acute pain?" 

“No," he replied; “I’m sick all over. I 
never had such strange feelings in my life." 

The doctor asked a few more questions, then 
said: “Newt, there's nothing wrong with you 
except worry. You don’t need any medicine. 
Go home and rest up, and you’ll get all right 
in a few days." 

Newt went home saying to himself : “Doc- 
tors don't know everything. I'm a sick man. 
I must be going to die. But I reckon I ought 
to die — a man who has done no good for any- 
body. I've just lived for Newt Frater, no one 
else. Any man that could neglect a pure, good 
Christian sister like I did ! O, she was the best 


io8 The F raters. 

woman I ever saw. I feel too mean to live 
and look anybody in the face, and God knows 
Fm not fit to die. O, I’m ruined ! I feel like 
I’m the meanest man living-. What’ll I do ?” 

When Newt walked into his home, he looked 
so haggard that Myrtle said : “Brother, what in 
the world ails you? Are you much sick?” 

“O Myrtle, I don’t know what to say. I’m 
in a terrible fix. I wish I had sister here to 
pray for me. I’d like to apologize to her 
again. I didn’t tell her just how mean I was 
to her, and still she kept on being just as good 
to me as she could.” 

By this time Myrtle was shedding tears. “O 
brother, I don’t know what to tell you. I 
can’t think of anything but sister and wanting 
to be good. Brother, maybe if you would 
pray you would feel better.” 

Newt made no reply. He sat for an hour 
with his face buried in his hands. They had 
late luncheon. Newt only drank a glass of 
milk and said that he didn’t even want that. 
He went to his room, where he stayed alone 


“A Corn of Wheat.” 


109 


all the afternoon. Friends called, but Myrtle 
could not persuade Newt to come out or see 
any one except the pastor. When Myrtle told 
Newt that Brother Lloyd was in her room, he 
said: “Tell him to come in. I want to see 
him.” 

“How are you, my friend?” asked the pas- 
tor. 

“O, I don't know, Brother Lloyd. Maybe 
you can tell me. The doctor couldn't. I never 
felt this way before in all my life.” 

The preacher queried further: “Can you 
describe your feelings?” 

“No. Only I feel like maybe I'm going to 
die; and I'm a poor, miserable sinner and not 
fit to die.” 

The pastor prayed with Newt and talked 
with him. When Aunt Sally called them to 
supper, they all came in, but looked sad and 
had little to say. Myrtle talked more than 
any one else. She said she wanted to go to 
church, but that she didn't know what peo- 
ple would think about it if she did. 


no 


The F raters. 


Si said: “I guess it will be all right. It’s 
nobody's business but yours." 

Myrtle replied: “Si, you and Joe go to- 
night, and I’ll stay with brother." 

Newt said: “I don’t need any company, for 
I’m no company for anybody else. You can 
all go if you want to. I don’t feel like going 
out." 

The boys went and reported at breakfast the 
next morning a fine sermon and much interest 
in the meeting. They wished that Newt and 
Myrtle had heard the sermon. 

“Brother Lloyd makes a fellow feel mighty 
mean," Si remarked. 

“Don’t talk about feeling mean, for good- 
ness’ sake," moaned Newt. “I don’t believe 
I could stand to hear a sermon." 

There was great interest in the revival by 
Friday. All the Fraters were going and were 
deeply interested except Newt. He had gone 
to business Wednesday and tried to get rid of 
his feelings, but failed. He didn’t go .to 
church. To make a perfectly ingenuous state- 


“A Corn of Wheat ” 


hi 


ment about it, he was afraid to go. Somewhat 
shy of the preacher, more afraid of Mrs. Ep- 
person and Mrs. Susie White, and most afraid 
of himself — he didn’t know just what he might 
do. For him to go looked like a burning child 
rushing farther into the fire. The others over- 
persuaded Newt Sunday morning to go and 
hear Brother Lloyd. As he felt somewhat re- 
lieved, he went along the more readily with the 
rest. 

By the time the preliminaries of the service 
were over Newt was perfectly calm, almost 
callous. He was diverted, simply entertained, 
by what was going on. Newt wondered: 
“What will the preacher’s text be?” It was 
announced: “The words of our Lord as re- 
corded in the Gospel of John, twelfth chapter, 
twenty-fourth verse: ‘Except a corn of wheat 
fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; 
but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.’ ” 
Newt asked himself : “What in the world does 
that mean? I’ll see what he can make out of 


112 


The F raters. 


The pastor preached on the sacrificial death 
of Christ, showing that as the grain of wheat 
gives up its one life according to God’s plan, 
produces many lives, so our Lord by the un- 
selfish giving up of his great and sinless life 
as a sacrifice will likewise bring forth a great 
harvest of souls. 

“O, I see!” said Newt to himself. “I see 
where sister got the idea. Yes, she was like 
that.” 

Newt did not hear much more of the sermon. 
He was lost in meditation : “Wasn’t sister the 
grain of wheat ? O, wasn’t she like the suffer- 
ing Christ? Didn’t she suffer on our account? 
I wonder if she died for us poor boys ? Maybe 
that’s the only chance the good God had to 
bring us to our senses and show us how selfish 
and mean we are.” Newt grew pale and cold. 
Those who glanced at him thought that he must 
be very ill. He trembled and forgot his sur- 
roundings a few moments as the old thought 
seized him again: “My selfishness murdered 
poor Martha.” 


( A Corn of Wheat ” 


ii3 

As Brother Lloyd closed his sermon he said : 
“Let all who will allow the death of this great 
Saviour to bring you to life come forward. 
Let the congregation stand.” 

Newt sat quivering, chained to his seat by 
the great emotion that was sweeping over him. 
“I wonder if Jesus died for me? No, I’m too 
mean. But didn’t poor sister die for me, even 
if I was mean ? And didn’t she learn that from 
him ? He must be great and good to make one 
like sister. I wonder if he would save me be- 
cause he loved her so?” By this time he was 
weeping convulsively. 

Many went forward whose faces were kin- 
dled with a new light. Newt and Myrtle sat 
throughout the service. After the benediction 
Newt got out and went home, talking as little 
as possible. Si and Joe had already united with 
the Church. 

Newt ate lightly at lunch and went to his 
room. There was no cessation of praying. 

Si and Joe went to an afternoon service. 

About four in the afternoon Myrtle began 

8 


The Praters . 


1 14 

singing in her room: “Jesus, Lover of my 
soul.” She had a sweet, clear voice. Newt 
listened. “How sweet ! O those words ! 
They were made for me.” “Other refuge have 
I none,” rang out. “That’s me,” said Newt. 
“O, will he leave me alone? I wish I could 
say, ‘All my trust in thee is stayed.’ ” As she 
sang, 

“Plenteous grace with thee is found,, 

Grace to cover all my sin,” 

Newt said: “O, I see it! I see it. He died 
that we might live. Sister said it would be 
glorious to die if it would save us. I see 
where she got that. Would I die for anybody? 
I would die for sister, if she were here. Yes, 
I would die if her great Saviour wanted me to. 
I deserve to die. O Lord, let me be like a 
grain of wheat!” 

Newt rushed into Myrtle’s room, his face 
radiant with a new light, saying: “Why, Myr- 
tle, he is a great Saviour! I know he is, for 
he saves me, the worst of the whole lot. Myr- 


“A Corn of Wheat ” 


ii5 

tie, I never saw you look so beautiful before. 
Sing again, O sing ! I’d give the world to see 
sister and tell her about it.” 

Myrtle said : “O brother, I’m so glad !” But 
she couldn’t sing just then. An hour later Si 
and Joe came, and the four had a happy time 
together. 

The Fraters became useful and dependable 
members of Lexington Church and Newt the 
most zealous of all. The revival was a great 
success, and Pastor Lloyd was very happy over 
the results. 


A Dinner Party. 


^T*HE attractive home of Mr. and Mrs. 

Nathan Perkins, of Lexington, was the 
center of interest to a small company of in- 
vited friends on a Thursday evening early in 
November, 1914. The gentlemen in the party 
had been carefully chosen with a purpose in 
mind. Their wives were also made welcome, 
some of whom would have been invited irre- 
spective of the fact that the presence of their 
husbands was desired. All present were 
Church people, officials and members of the 
Lexington Methodist Church, with the single 
exception of a former pastor. Mr. Perkins 
himself was one of the official members. The 
dinner was a convenient method of assembling 
these friends, but only an incident to the main 
purpose. Mr. Perkins, for many years a zeal- 
ous member of the Church, was liberal and 
progressive and spared no pains to bring to full 
(1 16) 


A Dinner Party . 


ii 7 

fruitage his best-matured plans for the good of 
the cause which he had so enthusiastically and 
consistently espoused. 

As the years went by he became increasingly 
interested in the various enterprises of the 
Church. Of late he had experienced a great 
awakening in regard to the care of superannu- 
ated ministers and the widows and children of 
deceased preachers. It was his interest in their 
welfare which had suggested and inspired the 
present meeting. 

With great care he had selected the guests 
because of his confidence in their sound judg- 
ment and Christian zeal. They were as fol- 
lows: Rev. W. B. Lloyd, pastor; the Rev. Por- 
ter Phillips, a former pastor; Messrs. Henry 
Spencer, W. W. Epperson, J. Y. Jones, D. O. 
White, Allen Carter, and their wives ; Newton 
Frater, a bachelor, and Miss Nettie Markham, 
whose congeniality and warmth of friendship 
were inviting local comment. It is worth while 
to state that Mrs. D. O. White was formerly 
Miss Susie Pointer, whose valuable identity 


n8 


The F raters. 


should not be lost in any man’s name ; and the 
former Miss Lucy Lowman, conspicuously effi- 
cient in good deeds, is now Mrs. Allen Carter. 

To employ Miss Markham’s words, “the six 
o’clock dinner was perfectly splendid,” and was 
greatly enjoyed by all present. The dinner 
over, the real intention of Mr. Perkins was 
revealed. It is true that he had not been careful 
to make this a sub rosa affair, for he had dis- 
cussed his plans with the pastor and Mr. Spen- 
cer. At the conclusion of the dinner the host 
said: “We shall now without loss of time re- 
pair to the sitting room and engage in the real 
business of the hour.” All comfortably seated, 
Mr. Perkins introduced the topic of the eve- 
ning, which of late had so completely obsessed 
him, by saying: 

I desire that this meeting shall be entirely 
informal, free, and unfettered, as I wish you 
and your remarks to be, while we consider what 
I have come to believe is the most urgent as well 
as the most sadly overlooked matter in our 
great Church. 


A Dinner Party. 


119 

My zeal in behalf of our superannuated 
preachers and the widows and orphans I need 
not mention, for it is known to all of you. I 
deplore the fact that our Conference is not 
paying these worthy people enough to keep 
them in comfort, in some instances not enough 
to supply them with the indispensable items of 
living. My information is to the effect that a 
similar state of affairs exists more or less in 
many of the Conferences. While my pleasure 
is very great in having you as my guests this 
evening, I will be frank enough to admit that 
my main purpose is to have the benefit of your 
counsel in finding ways and means of bringing 
into existence a more desirable situation for our 
worthy Conference claimants. 

I have written Brother Phillips to come and 
be with us, knowing his interest in the cause, 
and I sincerely thank him for being present. 
We are here for discussion and for suggestion; 
to talk earnestly and freely ; to ask and, as far 
as possible, answer questions ; to talk informal- 
ly on straight lines; to go to the heart of the 
matter ; to talk as a man and his family would 
whose home was about to be swept from them 
by foreclosure of mortgage, as earnestly as 


120 


The F raters. 


bank directors would talk in a crisis threatening 
their institution, as earnestly as a council of 
war should be held. 

Because of his wide experience, his knowl- 
edge, and his interest in the work, I am going 
to ask Brother Phillips to give us a brief out- 
line of the general situation. 

Brother Phillips said : 

Thanking Brother Perkins on behalf of our 
veterans for his zealous efforts to increase their 
comfort, I will say that this is a subject in 
which, of course, I feel a profound interest, as 
all ministers should. Perhaps there are very 
few of the preachers who do not hesitate to 
speak their full convictions and feelings on the 
subject. Really, I have come to think that we 
preachers are sometimes overmodest in that we 
do not give out information and facts in our 
possession which, if known throughout the 
Church, would stir the people to more earnest 
endeavor to secure the relief so much desired. 

I am glad to say that our preachers are be- 
ginning to speak out more boldly and more fre- 
quently than formerly ; and, what is better still, 
many of our laymen are becoming interested in 


A Dinner Party. 


121 

the cause. Doubtless you will recall that when 
I was your pastor I was fortunate enough to 
secure the services of that great layman, Broth- 
er Hubert Howard, who made us that master- 
ful address. I have heard few to equal and 
none to surpass it. There is unquestionably a 
deepening of concern in our Church and, I 
think, in all of the Churches for a better sup- 
port for retired preachers and the widows and 
children. In all the Churches this subject is 
receiving special attention. Nearly every Prot- 
estant denomination has some sort of organized 
effort to provide permanent pension or retire- 
ment funds for their aged ministers, widows, 
and children. The aggregate sum desired in 
American Protestantism in permanent funds 
for this purpose is sixty-five million dollars. 

Conspicuous and gratifying success is 
crowning the efforts of some of the Churches, 
especially in the North, where the Presbyterians 
already have a four-million-dollar endowment 
fund and expect to increase it to ten million 
dollars. The Methodist Episcopal Church has 
passed the five-million-dollar mark and is going 
for the handsome amount of fifteen million dol- 
lars as a total fund. The Protestant Episcopal 


122 


The F raters. 


Church, the Baptist Church, the Disciples of 
Christ, and others are earnestly engaged in this 
laudable undertaking. So there is a decidedly 
more promising aspect on the whole situation. 

Our Conference has an invested fund of 
forty thousand dollars. Many other Confer- 
ences in our Church have similar funds, the 
aggregate of which runs into hundreds of thou- 
sands of dollars. The Conference endowment 
fund is very popular in the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, and it is chiefly through this chan- 
nel that they are securing the large sums which 
are being reported for this cause. No doubt 
the Conference invested fund will become very 
popular with us, and through this channel large 
sums will flow into the treasury for this noble 
work. 

The Superannuate Endowment Fund, with 
a minimum mark of five million dollars set, has 
made a fair beginning; and the main and de- 
pendable source of its growth is an assessment 
fixed by law on all the Annual Conferences. 
Superannuate homes are provided in a number 
of the Conferences and in some of them have 
become quite a feature. 

From the current collections in all the Con- 


123 


A Dinner Party. 

ferences and the income from invested funds, 
we are disbursing to our two thousand super- 
annuate families approximately three hundred 
thousand dollars annually. It is easy to esti- 
mate that the average amount received per 
family is about one hundred and fifty dollars — 
a sum shamefully small. 

Mr. Perkins said: “Indeed it is. Brother 
Spencer, you have been for some time a mem- 
ber of the Conference Board which looks after 
this business. Let us hear from you.” 

Mr. Spencer responded: “Brother Perkins, 
I am deeply interested in this subject. No man 
who has the slightest sense oi justice and even 
a little of the ‘milk of human kindness' can 
serve on our Joint Board of Finance without 
having his nerves completely upset. Every 
year I come from Conference sick at heart 
over what I have seen and heard. Scores of 
applications are made to us for more liberal 
aid, which we are powerless to grant — some 
of these by the old veterans in person, detail- 
ing modestly their heart-stirring stories, in 


124 


The F raters. 


which it plainly appears that they are not re- 
ceiving enough to keep the 'wolf from the 
door’ — and yet each one concludes his state- 
ment usually in some such words as, 'Do the 
best you can for me with the means at com- 
mand and in justice to others. I want to be 
fair and brotherly with all of the other claim- 
ants.’ Many written statements are received, 
and numbers of interested friends make per- 
sonal appeals in behalf of the old men and the 
widows which, it seems to me, are sufficient to 
move the heart of stone. In our Conference 
the largest allowance is three hundred dollars, 
only three receiving that amount, and others 
receive smaller sums down to twenty-five 
dollars. The average amount is about one 
hundred and forty dollars for a year’s sup- 
port.” 

Mrs. Epperson interrupted: "Excuse me, 
please. You don’t mean that that is all they 
have for a year’s living?” 

Mr. Spencer answered: "Yes; and many of 
them have no other source of income or help.” 


A Dinner Party. 


125 


Mrs. Epperson rejoined : “Well, how in the 
world do they exist? I am free to say that I 
cannot see.” 

Mr. Spencer said : “We all feel the same way 
about it. We wonder how they live. But 
there’s another strange fact to me. More than 
once when propositions have been made in our 
Board to increase the assessments, so that we 
might pay more to the claimants, some of the 
preachers on the Board have voted against the 
measure and defeated it. The Board, as you 
perhaps know, is composed of an equal number 
of preachers and laymen.” 

Mr. Wilson asked: “Mr. Spencer, what mo- 
tive could they have for such opposition? I 
can’t understand. Aren’t they standing in their 
own light?” 

Mr. Spencer replied: “Evidently. Some- 
times I have heard them say that they do not 
wish to increase the assessments, which they 
have to collect from the people.” 

Newt Frater said: “Well, the right kind of 
people will be glad to pay enough to make the 


126 


The F raters. 


claimants comfortable. I think the stewards 
ought to collect all the assessments, anyway; 
and, then, certainly none of the preachers could 
object to a necessary increase. Excuse me, 
Brother Lloyd. 

Brother Lloyd answered: “I most heartily 
agree with you on that proposition.” 

Mr. Spencer continued : “I am perfectly con- 
fident that if our Board should increase the 
assessments until they are large enough to meet 
the demands, and if they were intelligently 
placed before the Churches, they could be easily 
collected in nearly every instance.” 

Mr. Perkins remarked: “Brother Spencer, I 
am glad to hear you say that, since you have 
had much experience and are in position to 
express an intelligent opinion. I have been 
slow to believe that our good Methodist folk 
are as remiss in their duty to our veteran 
preachers as circumstances often indicate. 
Brother Lloyd, what do you think is the great- 
est obstacle in the way of providing adequately 
for our claimants ?” 


A Dinner Party. 


127 


Brother Lloyd answered : “First, insufficient 
assessments and extreme conservatism in in- 
creasing them. Secondly, the delicate attitude 
which the preachers maintain toward the whole 
subject. What Brother Spencer said about 
preachers voting against increasing assess- 
ments is true, for when I was a member of 
the Board I witnessed it and was greatly as- 
tonished at such action. But there is another 
view more complimentary to those who assume 
that attitude, and that is this: they construe 
that the increase is partly for them or will be, 
and they would rather do without the added 
benefit than have an increased assessment placed 
on the membership. I regard this view as a 
serious error, for the people would gladly pay 
more to this sacred claim. I will say this : If 
you will cut deep enough in the breast of the 
average preacher, you will find a great, big, un- 
selfish heart ; but to most of the preachers an- 
other assessment is a ‘red rag/ ” 

Mr. Jones argued : '“Liberal assessments are 
made for other great enterprises of the Church, 


128 


The F raters. 


and why not for the worn-out preachers? To 
provide amply for retired preachers will raise 
the standard of efficiency in our ministry; and, 
from that viewpoint, it will pay the Church to 
do it.” 

Brother Lloyd replied : “I believe that, Broth- 
er Jones ; but you know that we preachers rely 
largely upon the popularity of this claim to 
carry it through, and sometimes we even make 
it carry other collections because it is the most 
popular. The general feeling is that the good 
Lord and the people will not allow our old 
preachers and widows to be in want, that some 
happy fortuity will protect them. For assum- 
ing this attitude we are not blameless.” 

Mr. Perkins interjected : “I beg pardon, but 
I wish to be heard just here. The preachers 
have given us faithful and valuable services, 
decent and helpful and clean. We never can 
compensate them for the blessings they have 
conveyed to us, for they are infinite in value 
and eternal in duration. Please pardon me 
for a personal reference. I was a poor, miser- 


A Dinner Party. 


129 


able sinner, a disbeliever, skeptical, and lost 
when that good man, the Rev. Thomas Robert- 
son — God bless him ! — crossed my path ; and it 
was a path of living light crossing and lighting 
up a path of gross darkness. Years ago, when 
he was pastor here in Lexington, I heard him 
preach on the subject of ‘Christian Brother- 
hood' and afterwards encountered him in a 
face-to-face talk, really a friendly combat, and 
he won out and took me prisoner for Jesus 
Christ. I have been trying ever since to ‘fight 
the good fight of faith' in my humble way. A9 
you know, Brother Robertson retired a few 
years ago because of broken health. I made 
him a visit recently to see him again and find 
out how things are going with him. I am 
greatly disturbed over what I saw. I did not 
hear much. He is reticent about himself. He 
did tell me, in answer to a direct question, that 
he and his good wife received for the last 
year's support two hundred dollars. And, 
mind you, he has to rent a house out of this 

pittance. They simply cannot live decently on 
9 


130 


The Praters. 


such a sum. However, I happen to be aware 
of the fact that he has received some outside 
help; otherwise they must have been in sad 
circumstances. He is too noble and self-re- 
specting to complain. I believe that he would 
die before he would cast reproach upon the 
Church in the service of which he has given 
his life. I had not seen Dr. Robertson for 
several years, although we pass occasional let- 
ters; and of the few things he said bearing on 
this subject, that which touched me most deeply 
was this: ‘I never served a pastorate that I 
enjoyed as much as I did the four years at 
Lexington. Those people seemed so congenial 
to me that I had often looked forward to mak- 
ing Lexington my home if I should live to be 
superannuated. But when I was retired, in 
casting about to carry out my long-cherished 
dream I awoke with a sort of shock to the fact 
that it was impossible for me to live there. I 
could not afford it. I did not receive a suffi- 
cient amount to enable me to reside in a place 
where the cost of living was so high. Then I 


A Dinner Party. 


I 3 I 

found this little village of Dexter, where house 
rent is very cheap and living simple and not so 
expensive, and settled here. The people are 
kind, but the feeling of aloneness is something 
oppressive. But that is a part of the itinerant 
program, I suppose. We try to be thankful 
for what we have and that it is no worse/ ” 
“The fact that worries me,” continued Mr. 
Perkins, “is that the Conference or the Church 
could make him and all claimants perfectly 
comfortable, as far as a living is concerned, 
and no one have to do on a spoonful of sugar 
less. If I had only one dodger of bread be- 
tween me and starvation and should find 
Brother Robertson in similar distress, I would 
say: ‘Come, let us eat our cake of bread to- 
gether before we die/ Friends, where is our 
great Christian brotherhood? I came to be- 
lieve in it as Brother Robertson preached it, 
and I believe in it still ; but O cannot brothers 
grow careless of their obligation? Do they 
not sometimes become neglectful?” 


132 


The Praters . 


Newt interrupted: “Mr. Perkins, will you 
let me say something ?” 

“Why, certainly, Newt. Glad to hear from 
you.” 

Newt went on : “I don’t know so much about 
this Christian brotherhood, only I’m mighty 
glad to be in it ; but if you will let me put it just 
as it is in life, I can answer that question about 
brothers being neglectful. I know they can. 
If you will pardon me, I will make a confes- 
sion. I’ll never get done confessing how we 
boys just went mad after money and paid no 
attention to the Church nor anything else and 
left sister so lonely; and when we came to our 
senses, she was* nearly gone. O, I never can 
get over it the longest day I live. Yes, broth- 
ers can forget, and they do. It wasn’t because 
we didn’t love her. Why, I feel now that I 
would be willing to take her place in the grave 
if I could and let her come back and live in my 
place. Excuse me for talking this way. It 
may seem foolish to you, but it’s the truth.” 

“Well, Newt, my dear brother, you show a 


A Dinner Party. 


133 


beautiful spirit, and we are all rejoiced over 
the stand you have taken for the right. God 
bless you!” said Mr. Perkins. 

“Your reference to Dr. Robertson stirs my 
very soul,” continued Newt. “He married my 
father and mother, and sister joined the 
Church when he was pastor here. He has 
always been a great friend of the family, and 
for him to be in need is just too much for us 
to submit to tamely. Mr. Perkins, please al- 
low me the pleasure of helping out in this case. 
And just to think that he can’t live among his 
old friends! I think I can remedy that. I 
have a nice comfortable cottage here in town 
that I’ll be happy to turn over to Dr. Robert- 
son and his wife, free of rent, as long as they 
may want it; and I think I will just reserve it 
in the future for that purpose.” 

By this time the company had become thor- 
oughly enthused. Mr. Perkins, scarcely able 
to control himself, said: “This begins to look 
like doing something. Newt, I congratulate 


134 


The F raters. 


you for having the two requisites for this glo- 
rious work, the ability and the liberality. 

“Referring again to the obligations of the 
Christian brotherhood/’ continued Mr. Per- 
kins, “the question is, Are we Christians, spir- 
itual brothers, going to treat the most unselfish 
members of our large household — the preach- 
ers and their wives — as though they were 
strangers and aliens ? Are we going to neglect 
them so?” 

Mr. White remarked : “I was at Conference 
last year and heard an old preacher say sub- 
stantially this : T have been in the active work 
as an itinerant preacher forty-eight years. The 
time has come for me to retire from the field. 
I have kept out of debt and educated my chil- 
dren. They have gone out in life to do for 
themselves. I had small salaries, ah average 
of about five hundred dollars a year, from 
which it was impossible to save anything for 
the day of need, which has arrived. The rain 
is falling, and I have no shelter. I face a new 
situation from this time on. What shall my 


A Dinner Party. 


135 


wife and I do ? Why, we can trust in the Lord. 
W e shall now be compelled in temporal as well 
as in spiritual things to “walk by faith,” for 
nothing is in sight. It is hard enough for the 
old preacher to retire when he knows that 
plenty and comfort await him; but when his 
companions are to be hunger, want, and hu- 
miliation, it is inexpressibly hard/ ” 

Mr. Perkins replied : “O the pity of it ! And 
yet, Brother White, you have not cited an ex- 
treme case, as I happen to know. I have inves- 
tigated extensively and have come to realize 
that there is oftener understatement of painful 
facts than overstatement. Brother Phillips, 
your allusion to permanent funds invested for 
the benefit of claimants is cheering. The fact 
that a large number of the Conferences have 
such funds — and some of them are growing 
to respectable proportions, a hundred thousand 
dollars or more — is indeed encouraging. And, 
then, I rejoice that the Superannuate Endow- 
ment Fund has been established with the deter- 
mination to raise at least five million dollars 


136 


The F raters. 


and that it is meeting with encouraging suc- 
cess. I have never put money into anything 
yet that has given me more satisfaction than 
what I have paid to this fund. One thought 
that invariably starts a song of melody in my 
heart is this : After the Master calls me from 
the field of labor and I can work no longer, 
the money that I have in this fund will work 
for me, helping these dear people to whom all 
of us owe so much. I have also purchased an 
annuity bond for four thousand dollars, on 
which the Board pays me a low rate of interest 
because I did not ask for a high rate, and I 
am sorry that I am compelled to charge interest 
at all. This money is exactly where I want it 
to be and want it to remain. I hope to place 
more in this fund. I beg pardon for mention- 
ing these facts and do so in confidence, hoping 
that you will not repeat it and use my name. 
Brother Phillips, in what direction do you 
think we may look for the earliest enlargement 
and surest development of this great interest of 
the Church?” 


A Dinner Party. 


137 


Brother Phillips replied : “Answering briefly, 

I would say: Emphasize and increase the reg- 
ular collections in the Annual Conferences as 
much as possible. We preachers must take a 
more prominent part in this. The Superannu- 
ate Endowment Fund is supported by a uni- 
form assessment on the Conferences by the 
law of the Church, and its growth is assured. 
In addition, I would suggest that the Annual 
Conferences build up as rapidly as possible 
their Conference endowment funds. The Con- ' 
ference Board should cooperate heartily with 
the Board of Trustees of the Church, as the 
law provides, in completing the general fund. 
Then doubtless the General Board will gladly 
cooperate in establishing and fostering the 
Conference funds; and thus, all working to- 
gether toward this one glorious achievement — 
namely, comfortable support for all claimants 
— the joy of our hearts will, in the not distant 
future, be fulfilled.” 

Mr. Perkins said: “O, if we could only live 
to see it! The dream of my recent years has 


138 The F raters. 

been comfort for the old veterans of the cross 
and their widows and children. ,, 

“It is very gratifying, Brother Perkins,” 
said Brother Phillips, “to hear you express 
such ardent wishes. I have no doubt that the 
Church is going to push forward this work to 
a happy consummation. The spirit of pensions 
is in the present-day thought of the world. 
Why should it not also agitate the mind of the 
Church? Your zeal and liberality in this good 
work, Brother Perkins, are to be most heartily 
commended. Our men of large means should 
pay into this great fund. Large dividends will 
be declared both in the increased comfort of 
those who receive and in the more blessed sat- 
isfaction of those who give. There is another 
feature in connection with the Superannuate 
Endowment Fund which has not been alluded 
to and which is quite attractive to some people. 
It is the memorial feature. How much better 
it is to put money into a memorial fund than in 
a marble shaft ! In the fund it yields perpetual 


A Dinner Party. 139 

income and benefit and, besides, is a more fit- 
ting memorial/' 

“Brother Phillips, I like that suggestion you 
make," said Newt with a ring of enthusiasm in 
his voice. “I have thought a good deal of late 
about the old preachers and their claims on us. 
Especially during the last two years, since I 
changed my way of living, I have given the 
matter a good deal of consideration. I remem- 
ber when you had Hubert Howard to speak 
here on that subject. Sister Martha often 
talked about how glad she would be to put 
money into that good cause, but she never had 
the chance. O, if I only had been a Christian 
sooner and had given her opportunity to do 
what she desired ! We all had everything to- 
gether, and still have it that way. Sister was 
entitled to her part, and a good share too. 
Now I propose that we — the boys, Myrtle, and 
I — pay into this fund fifty thousand dollars, 
and it shall be called the Martha Frater Memo- 
rial Fund. I know they will agree. It is really 
sister’s money. We are not doing it." 


140 


The F raters. 


This unexpected turn of things was the sen- 
sation of the evening. Both thanks and con- 
gratulations rained on Newt from every quar- 
ter of the room. Mr. Perkins had grown ec- 
static. Brother Phillips, with emotion in his 
tone, said: “Newton Frater, God bless you! 
This bit of news will overjoy Hubert Howard. 
I’ll write him about it.” 

Mr. Perkins added: “It is simply glorious! 
What a great occasion this is to-night, and how 
significant! The Church can accomplish this 
moderate task and never curtail a luxury. It 
was said of one in whose behalf appeal was 
made to Jesus: 'He is worthy that thou 
shouldst do this for him : for he . . . him- 
self built us our synagogue.’ These veterans 
of the cross and widows are worthy that the 
Church should do this for them ; for they have 
built, not synagogues, but lives.” 








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